


Hybrid Theory

by awanderingmuse



Category: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard - Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Kane Chronicles - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dark!Percy, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Mixing the Pantheons, Multi, Percy's PTSD, PercyxJaz, PercyxTJ, Post-The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Previous - Caleo, Previous - Percabeth, Previous - Solangelo, Sex Addiction, Side - Frazel, Side - Jiper, Side - Sadie/Walt, Side - Zia/Carter, Torture, University Aged Demigods
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:46:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 35,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21796303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awanderingmuse/pseuds/awanderingmuse
Summary: Percy dies in battle.  A very heroic death that wasn’t at all lame, thank you. Unfortunately, the gods aren’t done with him yet. Instead of waking up in Charon’s waiting room as he should, Percy wakes up in the courtyard of Hotel Valhalla.  Thinking he should probably stay off Hades' radar, he runs to Carter Kane for help. In hindsight, that probably wasn’t the best idea he’d ever had. At least things can't possibly get worse, right?
Relationships: Nico di Angelo/Percy Jackson
Comments: 33
Kudos: 155





	1. Percy

**Author's Note:**

> IT'S HERE. IT'S HERE! I'm so excited to be FINALLY posting the first chapter on this friends. This is the BIG FIC I've been talking about for at least the last four years. And finally, it's here. 
> 
> A few notes before you dive in. When I say character death, I mean it. A healthy hybrid dies on at least a weekly basis! 
> 
> A quick thanks because it's the usual suspects. Lt.ReginaBarclay got this started and still helps out with this as she can. Likegallows and BobInTheComments are the best support group I could ask for, seriously. Finally, my percabeth loving fiance who still supports my work and is always game to talk PJO. Thank you everyone!

# Percy

## I've Died Twice Too, Buffy

**[ _ Home _ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqFLBLsSbvM) [ by American Authors ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqFLBLsSbvM)**

Nephthys sighs resignedly in my head as I curse every single god in existence for the hundredth time. I wasn’t sure what she expected. I’m doing the best I can and nobody really seems interested in helping us. 

My moment of distraction allows the Kraken-Sphinx-Dragon-thing to nearly take my head off with one of its crab claws that protrudes from its back like demented wings. The Norse Giant Ymir laughs in the distance, goading their son on.

I dodge as the beast’s spiked dragon tail comes swinging towards me and nearly get pinned to the ground by a giant lion paw for my efforts. If I could get a good bruising hit in with Riptide the thing would run back to its parents crying. Hopefully.

I wasn’t going to kill it. Not because I didn’t want to. Riptide didn’t seem to cut it with these things. Pun totally intended.

The only thing I’d found that worked was combined magic from all the pantheons. Of course, that’s how I’d ended up on this gods forsaken island in the Sea of Chaos, so I wasn’t going to try that again.

I jump behind a rock to avoid being charbroiled by the dragon’s head. Tartarus and Apophis join Ymir’s laughter.

“Shut up.” I growl at them trying to get my breathing under control. Nephthys helps me call the water from the little stream to us to give me more strength. I hate that little stream. I’m the one thing keeping these hybrid freaks from following the stream up through the Duat and into the mortal world. I am the only reason they aren’t destroying everything.

Behind me, sand shifts beneath nearly silent paws. Without thought I stand and stab Riptide upwards as the hybrid growls above my head. Getting a nice cut into its soft maw as it leans over to eat me. The dragon head roars with pain and scampers back into the sea.

I collapse to the ground. It won’t be long until there’s something else to fight. 

Now, you’re probably thinking, woah there Percy! What the heck is going on.

All I can tell you is it’s a long, terrible story. It all started when I died for the first time:

Jason and I were walking back to my mom’s apartment after visiting Game Xchange. He had never been to a video game store, which was just unacceptable. When Annabeth and I moved to New Rome we were opening one. Even Romans needed quality access to video games. I’d get the Stoll brothers to help me set it up.

Anyways, we found a bunch of games to play at my place. Mom was still at work, so we could eat all the junk food we wanted without the disapproving look she gave when she wanted to correct me but also wanted to respect my right to make bad decisions as an adult. Yeah, I was eighteen now. It wasn’t as big of a deal as I expected it to be.

We were almost to my house when a giant hellhound attacked. It was not quite the size of Cerberus but larger than Mrs. O’Leary and not nearly as nice. It wasn’t your generic hellhound. This was a very famous, dangerous hellhound.

“Laelaps!” Jason yelled unnecessarily. The hound that was destined to always catch her prey growled menacingly. I spent a moment to mourn a perfect afternoon.

“I wonder who wants us dead this time.” I asked bitingly. Ever since the Giant War ended a year ago there was always some monster being sent after the seven by disgruntled gods. It almost felt like a game. Who can ruin a major hero’s day the most today!

The dog lunges at me and I realize that I must be the hunted. “Percy!” Jason yelled. “Move.”

It wasn’t like there was much of a better option. Laelaps was literally invincible, Erymanthian Boar invincible. The immovable object to a certain fox's unstoppable force. I could only run. Even though it was pointless anyways, she would catch up. No demigod had ever survived Laelaps, though plenty had tried.

“Find somewhere to hide!” Jason yelled to my retreating back, “I’ll get the gods to release the Teumessian Fox!” Yeah the one that’s like an unstoppable force.

I didn’t think that would help much, but I was too busy fleeing to say so. 

I end up holed up in a storm drain several streets down. Laelaps making it echo with her growls as I hide as far away from the thin opening as possible. It feels like it's been hours. My muscles are cramping up. I’m cold. If it wasn’t suicide, I would leap out and to try and take Laelaps on sword against claw.

I was tempted to try anyways but it’d be dumb if I died when Jason’s idea would have worked. I should have fought Laelaps alone when I had the chance. 

I’m convinced I will starve to death in a storm drain, when I hear the most gods awful scream I’ve ever heard. Suddenly the storm drain cover rips off and I see Laelaps and a giant fox looking down at me. I guess that’s what the fox says.

I do what comes naturally to me. Calling a jet of dirty storm water to spray the fox and hound in the face I clamber out of the drain and run. I grip Riptide tightly as I search for a defensible place. Gods, I was going to die without seeing Annabeth one last time.

The fox and Laelaps chase me down. Apparently, whoever released the fox told it to hunt me down too. I’m sure they figured it was the best way to get it to Laelaps. But it seemed that the ancient enemies were willing to put down their old feud if they had common prey. Hi, I’m prey now.

As I run down Amsterdam Avenue I see Jason’s golden head. Piper stands next to him a look of horror on her face as she realizes I was still being chased. “Get out of here!” I yell urgently. There is no reason for my friends to die too.

But my friends are stubbornly noble people. Piper bravely lunges in front of me to charmspeak the creatures into stopping. 

They only pause for a moment. Then shaking their heads as if from a daze, they leap over her. Suddenly I am cornered against a semi-truck.

I raise Riptide and swipe at Laelaps muzzle. I am not going down without a fight. The dog whines and pulls away for a moment. I stepped forward to press my advantage only to be slashed across the back by the Teumessian Fox. I always knew I’d die because of stupid mistake, it still sucks.

For a sharp second the pain is unbearable. Then I don’t feel anything at all. As I fall to the ground I see a weird cloud girl dive towards me. Her expression, is a lot like Annabeth’s I’m concentrating on something I don’t like look. My last thought is that Annabeth is going to come to the Underworld to murder me.

I dream of a girl wearing a green hijab warning me to mind the Gap as we fly over a grey sea. She grips me by the arm and rides a horse that looks like Tempest. I would have saved myself a lot of trouble if I’d just fallen anyways.

Instead I obey her words.

When I wake up I am surprisingly not in pain. My first conscious thought is that it is dark. Until I shift my head and the two drachma fall from my eyes. My second thought is that the Underworld must have redecorated. Above my head is gorgeous blue sky, instead of jagged stalactites.

I’m also a little disappointed. I figured Nico and I were close enough that he would at least say hey when I died. Maybe show me around Elysium a bit?

It only seems to be me, the sky, and the nice hard ground. I sit up and realized that I am in a courtyard I’ve never seen before. Not that I’ve gotten to stroll around Elysium on my previous trips to the Underworld. I’ve had enough glimpses at the resting place for heroes to know this wasn’t it. Besides I should start the afterlife in Charon’s waiting room.

Here there are sky and trees. I had been with Annabeth long enough to recognize that the architecture was seven kinds of wrong. What was with all the wolves anyway?

So, where the heck am I? I have the distinct sense that I didn’t belong here. That something is wrong. It’s the same feeling I got when I first entered Camp Jupiter or when I hung around Carter Kane and his rainbow haired sister.

On red alert I check my pocket for Riptide. I am comforted to find that my sword is in fact in my pocket. Just in case l need them, I pick up my drachma before I carefully make my way to the front door of the large town house before the court yard. 

The large knocker on the door reminds of Lupa in winter, and much like Lupa it fills me with unease. Before I can knock the door opens to reveal a burly man, like this guy could have competed with Hephaestus levels of burly.

“Welcome to the Hotel Valhalla.” The man says brightly. “I am Hunding. If you will follow me, we will make our way to check-in.”

“Uh. No, thanks.” I say taking a step back from the door and raising Riptide. “I think I’ll just go, if it’s all the same to you.”

Hunding’s eyes are instantly drawn to Riptide. The bright smile falters. He sighs and mutters, “Sam, what are you thinking?”

I don’t really care who Sam is or what the guys issue was with my sword. I just need to get out of here. Hunding seems to have different ideas. Reaching out and taking my shoulder in a surprisingly gentle vice like grip he leads me into the hotel. It is bigger on the inside.

I am suddenly struck with images of the Lotus Hotel. Which, trust me, is an experience I never want to repeat.

“You guys aren’t Lotus Eaters are you?” I ask cautiously. There is no way in Hades I am eating or drinking anything anybody offers me. I need to get out of here as soon as possible.

Hunding frowns with confusion. “Why would somebody eat flowers?”

So, not Lotus Eaters. I am realizing that I need to shut my mouth and go with the game until I get my bearings. Bide my time till I can escape whatever kind of trap this is.

Check-in goes smoothly. I do not accept the mini bar key, despite Hunding’s insistence that I need it. I’m not staying that long.

Since I didn’t have any luggage besides the two drachma, which seemed to upset Hunding, it is easy for him to lead me to my room. The halls are mostly silent. Something about everybody sleeping off the battle before dinner. I don’t like the sound of that.

Finally, we reach my room. Hunding lets me open my own door, which feels like an ambush.

All I can think when I walked in is that it is Mom’s cabin at Montauk. I mean, if the cabin were upgraded by a five star hotel with a Viking obsession. Still it is obviously Montauk. From the kitchen and the living room and it’s two bedrooms. Though one has been converted into a office that could double as a war room. The living room had every video game I could ever want. Out the windows I can see the sea.

But the curtains in the windows are familiar. As are the cabinets in the kitchen, and the sea shells on the shelves.

“Dinner will be soon.” Hunding says after I inspect my room. “Your Valkyrie will collect you shortly.”

I suddenly realize that my room looks like the family cabin had been redecorated by someone with a Viking obsession because I had been kidnapped by Vikings. That’s right, I’d met Annabeth’s cousin Magnus once and knew all about his crazy world of Nordic gods. I’d even offered him advice once on how to go on an ocean quest. 

I briefly consider seeing if I can find him, he owes me for helping him save humanity and everything. I’m not sure Magnus would help me leave.

It isn’t that I thought he would do it spitefully. I just wasn’t sure he would get that I am not okay with this afterlife. 

As soon as Hunding leaves I move to the door and crack it open, listening for anything that might help me escape. Riptide is in my hand in case I have to fight my way out.

I get a break a lot sooner than I expect in the form of Annabeth’s cousin. “I don’t care if dinner is soon, T.J.” he says exasperatedly to his lanky friend. I have to give the friend props for the Union coat he wears like a second skin, I am positive it’s an original. “Annabeth just called me and she sounded really upset. She needs me, so I’m going to her.”

Not if I get there first, Buddy. 

T.J.’s faintly replies, “But we were going to meet the new guy after dinner.” I am not sorry to say T.J. was going to be disappointed on that one. It sounds like they are leaving, which is exactly what I want to do.

Once they are a few yards down the hall I silently slip out of my room and follow them. The hall is empty except for Magnus and TJ. 

Eventually we reach what appears to be a trash chute. I hide behind an open doorway and watch intently as they go down the chute. They climb through the door and slid down it like a slide.

I note that going between worlds doesn’t appear to be anything like Carter’s magic. Where a spell opens a doorway. It isn’t even like Nico’s shadowtraveling. Sliding down a trash chute seems too easy, but I was willing to go with it.

I wait for several minutes before I make my trip down the chute. I won’t risk landing on top of Magnus and getting taken right back to Valhalla. I have to get home. I have to see Annabeth and Mom, to explain what happened and tell them I’m sorry.

Once I go down the chute, I find myself in the middle of Fenway Park. I feel like a bit of a traitor to the Yankees for even stepping foot here. But I’d been having a bad day, surely they would forgive me.

I find my way out of the stadium without a hitch. After way too long of wandering around with what feels like a target on my back I find a Greyhound bus station. The next bus is headed to Brooklyn. It’s not Manhattan, but I know I can find my way.

I spend the four-hour bus ride trying to figure out what to do once I hit Brooklyn. I need to contact Annabeth, but I don’t have a phone. I also don’t want to tip off the gods that I’d majorly crossed pantheon lines by IM-ing somebody with one of my two drachma. I can’t go to Camp for the same reason.

That’s when I remember that Annabeth had made me memorize Carter Kane's address. Just in case I was ever stranded in Brooklyn. In return I’d given him my Mom’s address so we were even.

I hesitate to bother Carter, but he’d said to let him know if I had an emergency. I definitely classified unwillingly becoming an undead Viking Warrior an emergency. So, that was that. When I made it to Brooklyn I would find Carter’s house and get him to call Annabeth.

If only it had been that easy.

I’m in a warehouse district. About a block or so from where Carter's house should be when I find myself face to face with, well at the time I had no idea what it was. Like the world’s largest Cyclopes, if Cyclopes’ had spear tips for heads. This thing is easily as tall of some of the smaller skyscrapers in Manhattan.

I don’t even get the chance to try and hide from it. It looks down at me and says, “Hungry.” in an eerily childlike voice.

I spread my arms wide careful to keep a good grip on Riptide. I’m unsure what use my sword will be against something so large. I sure as hell wasn’t going to let it destroy Brooklyn, though. I just hope some of the Egyptian kids come to check the fight out.

“Sorry, I don’t have anything.” I say trying to sound contrite. Of course that doesn’t work. The giant spearheaded cyclops reaches down for me saying, “Hungry!” louder.

I slash at the hand coming towards me with my sword and the monster jerks back howling like it’d just gotten a really painful paper cut. I don’t give it the chance to do anything else. I blast it with all the water in the area. The caps fly off a fire hydrant, pipes burst, and even the water out of the sewers rushes forward. Succeeding in getting the things trunk like legs wet.

When I look up the hand has already healed as if I didn’t injured it at all, but I know it was a solid hit.

“Angry.” The monster grumbles leaning back down to grab me. I jog backward, thankful that the water won’t make me slip. I realize I can’t defeat this thing on my own. I need godly intervention. At this point I am willing to take just about anyone's help. 

As if answering my thoughts a woman pops out of the East River. She looks like a Naiad going to an Egyptian costume party. She has long black hair and is very pretty, but she feels wrong. My gut tells me this is a goddess, and not a Greek or Roman one.

“You need more power.” She says unhelpfully. I knew that already.

“You are more than welcome to help!” I yell on the off chance that a god would actually want to help me for once.

“Let me join with you!” the goddess replies and I curse. Of course any goddess in Carter's territory was going to be Egyptian.

“Sorry already got kidnapped by one pantheon today, thanks!” I call back. I am not in the mood to get possessed by another vulture or whatever. 

As if in agreement with my decision the giant cyclops smashes the warehouse I was hiding behind by stepping on it. Monsters agreeing with your strategic decisions is usually bad. I scramble away from the falling building.

“Hungry.” The monster insists again. Faced with how much damage this thing can do I realize I have to kill it. That is clearly suicide. Fighting it was suicide. I don’t think I’d get saved by Valkyrie a second time. At least I’ll get to go to my afterlife right?

The monster shuffles forward another bit and accidentally kicks a full shipping container into the river by nudging it with its pinky toe. It giggles at the loud splash.

Impulsively I take advantage of its momentary distraction and charge its ankle. Maybe I can climb its leg hair or something. I get as far up as the top of the things foot before it bends to pick me up. Pinching me by the neck of my shirt like a mean kid might pick a fly up by its wings. I drop Riptide on the nauseatingly fast trip up.

I hope the goddess below could hear me when I yell. “Yeah, okay, let’s join. We probably won’t survive this anyway.”

The effects of Nephthys possessing me are immediate. I feel a power surge like the giant had tossed me in the river. I know with instant clarity that this thing is the unholy offspring of all three pantheons. That yes, killing it will in fact be suicide, I barely have the power to kill this thing with magic. I will not live to tell the tale.

A moment later I am proven right when the giant tilts it’s spear head back dropping me into it’s metallic mouth.

As I land on its metallic tongue the goddess uses my voice to yell “Mym!” drawing all the power and energy I have. We call all the water in the giant to evaporate. I had tons more power, but still not enough to avoid drawing on my life force too.

The giant goes up in a cloud of steam and I blackout before I hit the ground.

I come to feeling the worst I’d ever felt in my life. Which is how know this isn’t a normal afterlife. Nephthys was still in my head.

“It’s good you woke up.” She says. “The Hybrids are realizing your presence. We have to keep them out of the mortal world. The good news is that you have your sword and should be stronger.”

“Hybrids?” I ask as my head pounds. I don’t think I should have survived that fight.

“You didn’t.” The river goddess assures me. “Not really. You died and went to the Sea of Chaos, your Greeks and Romans call it the abyss, the Vikings Ginnungagap. Now get ready, Tartarus knows you’re here.”

Presently, I’m trying to catch my second wind for the millionth time. I’ve been fighting for three months, growing stronger and more skilled against my opponents. Never strong enough to defeat them on my own. They were multiplying too quickly, learning too much too fast. 

The only good news was that as I didn’t need food or water here. Or maybe that was just from being dead? I’d never asked Magnus if he needed to eat. 

I can still be injured. I’ve had cracked ribs, dislocated or broken appendages, and more cuts and bruises then I can count. At least water heals me even faster now. As long as it was pure water from the stream leading to the mortal world. The stuff in the sea would probably kill me instantly. Like, without coming back. I hadn’t tried to find out.

“You can’t do this anymore.” Nephthys says firmly while I try to convince my exhausted limbs to take me to the stream so I can drink from it.

“If I go back they’ll get into mortal world.” I retort. “I can’t let that happen.”

“You are going to get killed. Then there won’t be anyone to warn the world's.”

I sigh and take a long drink from the stream. It gives me strength. I hate letting these things threaten everything I love but Nephthys has a point. “Okay,” I say climbing to my feet. “Let’s go.”


	2. Nico

# Nico

## My Not-So-Dead Crush Crashes an Important Meeting

**[ _ No Light, No Light _ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJBgqwr4WYw) [ by Florence and the Machine ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJBgqwr4WYw)**

I wrap my freezing hands around my large hot chocolate hoping to sap some of the warmth from the cup. It’s not that cold out really, only sixty. For some reasons it’s freezing to me. It may have to do with the fact that my sister and I are sitting outside on the Starbucks deck. Instead of in the nice heating provided inside the store.

I mean I know why we’re out here. It’s so the mortals crowding the store don’t overhear the meeting that’s about to take place and freak out if we start mentioning monsters. Still, I really wished I could go in. My hands were cold.

“Where’s your gloves, Nico?” Hazel asks looking pointedly at the tight grip I have on my mug. Her eyes are even more discerning at eighteen than they were at thirteen before the Giant War.

I sigh, but answer truthfully. Hazel would know if I were lying and she would not be pleased with me. “All my gloves were actually Will’s gloves.” I say honestly. “So, he took them with him when he left for Uzbekistan.”

My sister gives me a sympathetic look that I don’t want. Will had been my boyfriend off and on for four years. We should have been forever.

Unfortunately, our relationship had been on the rocks in the months leading up to his decision to accept an internship with Doctors without Borders. I wasn’t overly surprised when he suggested that we take a break while he was gone. It’s been a year. I didn’t have any illusions that I’d be getting him back, and I was mostly convinced that it was for the best.

A large shadow passing over me startles me from my darkening thoughts. A soft pair of black gloves land in my lap and a deep voice says, “I had a feeling you’d need these.”

I tip my head back to see Walt standing behind me. A big grin spread across his normally stoic face. “Hazel’s expression tells me I wasn’t wrong.” He continues, gesturing for me to put the gloves on already.

I wasn’t above accepting the gift. Besides Walt looked comfortable enough with his hands shoved in his customary biker jacket. My old beat up aviator’s pockets were too shallow to contain all of my large hands anymore. Luckily, I’d never fully outgrown the old thing. Perhaps it was more fitting to say I’d finally grown into it. 

“Walt!” Hazel exclaims, satisfied that I was now taken care of. My sister hurriedly gets up from her chair to step forward and kiss Walt on the cheek in greeting. It was a 40’s habit my sister had never managed to drop. I knew that most people, including Walt, found it endearing.

That didn’t mean the Magician was above teasing her for it. “Now, now Hazel.” Walt chastises with a chuckle. “Watch it, or you’ll make Sadie jealous.”

“I would have to meet your Sadie to make her jealous, Walt.” Hazel replies easily while she returns to her seat.

“I thought we’d decided that that wasn’t a good idea.” Sam says appearing for nowhere. None of us reacted to her sudden appearance. Turning up unexpectedly was kind of a normal thing for the four of us.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t dream.” Hazel replies getting back up to give Sam a hug. “Come in with me. We’ll get you and Walt drinks and I can get Nico a refill on his hot chocolate.”

The girls go in and Walt drops into the seat next to mine. We sit in companionable silence for a moment before Walt feels the need to fill it. “So, um, kill any cool monsters lately.”

I smirk at the question and shake my head. “No, it’s been really quiet.”

Walt nods seriously. “Same for us. It’s starting to worry Carter. He thinks it means something big is coming. The only reassurance is that nobody has had any dreams. You know?”

“Yes.” I say honestly. “It is concerning. Maybe we’re finally getting a well-deserved break?”

Walt raises an eyebrow at me as if to ask if I seriously meant that. I had to admit he had a point. Godlings never got a break.

We go back to sitting in companionable silence when the girls return with steaming drinks for everybody. It’s a good thing too as I’ve just finished my hot chocolate.

Hazel takes one look at Walt and I before a mischievous grin spreads across her face. She says, “Why so serious fellas?” and bursts into laughter at her own joke.

I never should have let her watch Batman. Never mind that it had been Frank’s idea anyways. Rolling my eyes, I pass Walt his plain coffee while Hazel composes herself and sits back down.

“We were just discussing how quiet it’s been.” I inform the girls, since that was the reason for us gathering in the first place. We usually avoided meeting all at once. It wasn’t worth drawing the attention of monsters from every pantheon. “What about you Sam? Are the Nordic monsters behaving?

“Yes, actually.” Sam confirmed warily. “Magnus and I were talking about it last night. Even Ratatoskr is being oddly quiet.”

“I know Nico already knows this, but Jason is about ready to have the camp start sending out quests specifically to find trouble. That’s how quiet it’s been. He’s convinced the monsters are up to something.” Hazel offers to the group.

“Can’t say I disagree, Carter is of the same mind.” Walt says, “But what can we do about it?”

I’d been over this in my head over and over again. The truth was there wasn’t much we could do. “All we can do right now is keep an eye out and stay in touch.” I tell the group, emphasizing the last point.

Sam nods. “Agreed.”

“We should meet again in a month or so.” Walt says. “Just to make sure there hasn’t been any updates to the situation.”

We all agree to that and Sam gets back up. “Well if that’s all, I need to get home. Amir is expecting me.”

“Oh, Sam.” Hazel sighs in disappointment. “Do you really have to leave so soon? We rarely get to talk.”

Sam smiles and leans down to give Hazel hug. “Sorry, but unless we’ve got more business to discuss I have homework.” Who knew learning to fly planes would give you homework?

“At least let one of us see you off.” Walt intones calmly.

Sam opens her mouth to reply but is cut off by a really loud crash and a car alarm. It’s the kind of noise that means trouble but not necessarily our kind of trouble. The four of us listen carefully anyways.

Then an oddly familiar man’s voice echoes down the street. “Gas leak! Everybody move a safe distance away!”

The mortals react instantly by panicking but streaming out of the area. The four of us aren’t tricked by the Mist and are therefore capable of realizing that gas leaks don’t crash or set off car alarms.

“Well, I think we found that trouble we’ve all been wondering about.” Sam says pulling out her bone steel spear. 

We’re going to have to watch out for her, Sam doesn’t fight much anymore. In fact, she’s been thinking about introducing us to her sister. Something about letting her take Sam’s place on our little committee.

It's common knowledge among our group that she wants to leave her Valkyrie service behind but she has some task to finish first. Something about a soul that got away.

The rest of us are also getting up and drawing our weapons as she continues, “Let’s go check it out.”

Trouble was the strangest monster I have ever seen. It had a lion’s body with a fire breathing dragon head and crab claws extending from its back like a weird set of wings. The creature was crouched low as if preparing to pounce on something in front of us.

“What the Helheim is that?” Sam asked sounding a little awed. The thing was huge. Not as large as Sam says a giant is, but still huge.

Just then that familiar voice spoke again, yelling “Come on ugly! What are you waiting for? I know you didn’t follow me up here to look at me!”

I felt like goading this monster wasn’t the smartest move. Maybe the person on the other side of it knew something I didn’t. If the guy wanted the monster to attack it worked beautifully. It crouched low and pounced forward. It was an incredible thing to watch. I’d never seen a beast move so gracefully.

I was about to suggest that we help out when the guy fighting the beast barrels into Walt. It felt like I was the one who had been smacked into though. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and yet I couldn’t breathe. I had never stopped looking for him completely.

Looking up at Walt was Percy Jackson, who had died four years ago. If you left out the myriad of injuries he seemed to be suffering from, Percy hadn’t aged a day.

Then things got weirder. Something passed over Walt’s face. The expression that let you know you were now dealing directly with Anubis. “Mom?” The young god asks in confusion staring at Percy. At the same time Hazel shrieks Percy’s name and Sam points accusingly at him and growls, “You!”

Percy shakes himself and says, “Sorry guys, can’t talk yet gotta kill Mr. Krabbs.” 

As if that was some kind of cue, the monster realizes that Percy went under it and spins around and spews fire at us. I grab Sam and Percy and press us all low to the ground. When I look up Walt and Hazel are holding a combined shield above our heads. I knew they had been working on strengthening each other’s magic. I didn’t realize how glad I’d be for it though.

The monster continues breathing fire at us, while the joint shield held, the heat was leaking through. “Do you have anything that can help?” Percy demands looking to Sam.

The question seems to blindside the Valkyrie for a moment. Finally, she stumbles across an answer. Touching the green fabric covering her head she says, “My hijab. But it’s is meant for hiding and it’s not big enough to cover us all.”

“Throw it into the Shield.” Percy insists.

Looking like she is certain that Percy is crazy, Samirah throws her hijab into the shield.

The green cloth expands to cover all of us like a tent. The relief from the heat is immediate. Even cooler is that the monster begins to act as if it has lost us. That becomes a little less cool when it stands directly above us on the shield.

“I can’t hold this for long.” Hazel warns.

Next to her Walt nods in agreement. “How do we kill this thing?”

“By combining powers.” Percy says. Even as he speaks he sags like he has no energy left. “That monster is a creation of Ymir, Apophis and Tartus come straight from the Sea of Chaos. Only hybridized magic can kill it.”

“That would be you then.” Walt says with a sense of certainty that I find devastating.

Percy is shaking his head emphatically. “I’m going to need your help.” He says, “Last time I killed one of these things on my own I ended up in The Gap.”

Sam gasps in horror. I wasn’t clear on what Percy was trying to communicate to us though. Percy smirked, that awful self-deprecating smirk he has, and clarifies for me and Hazel, “The Abyss.”

“The shield is going to fail!” Hazel reminds Percy urgently. Taking away my opportunity to feel shock at Percy’s terrible revelation

“Look if everyone can combine magic, we should get it killed without anyone dying.

“Anything else we need to know before we scatter?” Walt asks implying that he was dropping the shield soon. Above us the monster roared with anticipation.

“Yeah, it’s part Sphinx.” Percy says with brutal honesty. “That hide is impenetrable.”

“Now!” Hazel yells as the shield fails and Sam’s hijab flutters back down. We all break apart like pool balls on a billiards table. Everyone dives behind the cars lining the street.

The monster begins to advance so I summon a skeleton army to buy us some time. Twenty dead warriors erupt from the ground. Crowding around the monster's feet. They keep it distracted long enough for me to sprint across the street to Percy. Hopefully, I can get useful information out of him on how to kill this thing.

I don’t get to ask though. The monster is easily turning my warriors to bone dust. Each time one of them is crushed feels like getting hit myself. It’s draining, but I muscle through it and focus on finding Percy.

From a car over I hear Sam mutter something. I’m not sure what she did but it’s clearly some kind of Valkyrie magic. I can feel my skeleton army strengthen. The monster stops being able to smash them as easily, because it doesn't quite seem to be able to catch them.

I take the monsters distraction to risk raising my head above the car I am crouched behind. I stand just in time to see Walt sprint across the street. He’s flinging amulets around skeletal necks. Now about five of my skeletons have Egyptian protection amulets hanging between their ribs.

Walt ends his mad dash by diving behind my car. The large magician grins maniacally over my shoulder and says, “How’s that for combined magic?”

I glance behind me and nearly have a heart attack because Percy is practically on top of me.

He looks the formation of skeletons over with a critical eye and says, “Good enough.” Then Percy grips my shoulder so that I look him in the eye and says. “I’m going to need you to go for the kill, okay?”

I want to protest that I’m a year older than him now. I want to do anything but go back to doing whatever Percy says just because he’s Percy. But we’re in the middle of a battle and in this particular case Percy probably does know best.

I nod once curtly. “What do you need?”

Percy grins crazily and says, “I’m going to distract it. You have your skeletons surprise it with death.”

I can’t help the amused snort escaping from my nose. Percy has always been able to say the stupidest things at the worst moments. I hate that after five years of declaring myself over him it’s still endearing.

I don’t get to laugh for long because Percy is vaulting over the car with Riptide raised in one hand. He’s screams, “Cover me Hazel!” before he charges the beast.

He just goes, sword raised and no plan. It seems like some things never change, but then Percy proves me wrong.

As he ran through my skeletons he yelled an odd word. It sounds a lot like Nimh, but that can’t be right. I’m almost positive that this fight has nothing to do with scientifically enhanced lab rats.

To prove my point jets of water spurt from the ground hitting the monster in the eyes blinding it. Percy makes it footing weak by freezing the water beneath the monster's feet.

Percy is giving me a perfect opening and I take it. With a little push of my will two of the skeleton warriors start scaling the buildings on either side of the monster.

Hazel must be taking Percy’s request for help seriously because suddenly there are four Percy’s running around. At first I’m just as confused as the monster about which one is the real one. It swerves its body this way and that as it confusedly tries to kill Percy.

Each time it pounces it just misses Percy and his magical body doubles, who dance out of the way with a laugh. Percy has always been good at fighting, but now it’s like watching performance art. Even Walt seems a little awed by what he is witnessing and I know he’s seeing the fight through Anubis’s ancient eyes.

Then one of the climbing skeletons slip. Its bones grate against brick and the monsters attention snaps to it. It snarls and opens its mouth to char broil the skeleton before beginning to turn its head towards the other one. The Skeleton only has a few more feet to climb before it will be even with the monsters head, but it will never make it in time.

“Hey Ugly! Did you forget me?” Percy, the real Percy, yells recklessly. He hurls a rock he found at the things head. The monster returns its attention to him and roars. As it lunges for Percy the skeleton warrior drops grabbing onto one of the crab claw spikes and climbing on to its head.

A lion claw nearly impales Percy. He raises Riptide and gives the monster a surprise nail trim before pivoting away. The monster opens its mouth to howl with rage.

It doesn’t realize its mistake until way too late. The skeleton warrior swings towards the things mouth and slices the monsters dragon throat from the inside. The monster instantly turns into a pile of sand and monster dust.

Slowly I rise to my feet with Walt and walk towards what is left of the Monster. Percy is laughing. It’s not the good kind of laughter. It’s the kind of laugh that means someone has been through too much and is losing it just a little bit. In a way it is almost worse than watching him cry.

I watch as Hazel approaches him cautiously. “Percy?” she asks, using the calming voice she might use on one of Camp Jupiter’s spooked Unicorns. “It’s going to be okay.”

I feel rather helpless as Percy keeps laughing and Hazel keeps trying to sooth him. He’s holding his sides like they’re causing him pain. He doesn’t say anything but I know we need to get him to calm down before we can tend to his wounds.

I don’t do anything because I don’t know what I can do that won’t make it worse. Even Sam is hanging back though she clearly knows him too. I don’t know Sam to stand by while someone is suffering.

After horrifically long moments Percy begins to calm down. “Hazel?” He asks clearly confused by something.

“It’s okay, Percy.” Hazel says again finally feeling like it’s probably okay to touch him she reaches out to rest a hand on his arm. “You’re alright.”

Percy’s frown deepens and he says, “You’re my age.” Then his eyes roll up in the back of his head and his knees buckle. Hazel catches him and carefully lowers him to the ground. She looks up at me with wide worried eyes.

That’s when I realize there’s blood seeping through his shirt. Walt curses and moves forward with his magician's bag. For some reason he carries an unholy amount of bandages around. This is the first time I’ve been grateful for it.

“We need to get him medical attention.” Hazel says insistently. I’m not going to disagree with her.

“We can take him to Piper.” I suggest after a moment's thought. “She’ll at least have medical supplies and her home isn’t too far away.”

“Anywhere is good as long as he’s seen to now.” Sam says eyeing the slowly growing spots of blood on Percy’s shirt. Walt is bandaging them as quickly as he can but I’m sure that Percy is going to need stitches and probably a hospital. Or the more likely scenario of a ton of ambrosia, water, and whatever medical help Sam and Walt can provide.

“Does anyone have a phone?” Hazel asks. “We should let Piper know we’re coming at least.”

I nod in agreement and Sam hands me her cell phone. I have Jason and Piper's home number memorized so it’s not hard to call her. She picks up on the second ring.

“This is Piper.” She says sounding confident and a little cold. Being the child of a movie star means she occasionally gets calls from persistent journalists.

“Piper, it's Nico.” I say trying to let her hear the urgency of our situation in my voice. Walt finishes doing what he can for Percy and picks him up. I understand that he intends to start walking to wherever we are going. Hazel leads the way.

“Nico? Hi. What can I do for you? Jason isn’t in today.” Piper starts to explain why, but I really don’t have time to chat. Percy is dying, again apparently.

“Piper. I have a- well I have a situation and I need your help.” I say haltingly.

I hear my friend shift the phone and she says without hesitation. “Sure. What do you need?”

“It sounds insane.” I warn her before stating the facts of our situation. “I’ll explain the details later, but I and some friends just got out of a fight with a monster that shouldn’t exist. It would have killed us but, well, we had help.”

I pause not being able to say that Percy is alive. It seems completely impossible. I’d personally looked for his soul all over the Underworld so Annabeth could at least have that closure. So that I could have that closure. I’d never found him.

I have to let Piper know what is going on so she can help us. So I say. “It was Percy, who helped us. Gods, I know it sounds crazy but it’s true. He’s alive and he’s dying from injuries he sustained before the fight.”

Piper is quiet for a long moment. Somehow, I suspect intervention from Sam we are already turning down her street. Her house is several blocks away now.

When I feel certain that Piper is going to argue, she surprises me. “Okay, what do you need?”

“Water.” I state. “Fill a tub. We’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Okay.” Piper agrees. “Be safe. See you soon.” Then she hangs up, presumably to fill her tub.

I have to run a little to catch up with the others. Once I do I hand Sam her phone.

She looks over at me with a raised eyebrow and says, “Fill a tub with water?”

“It heals him.” I tell her but don’t really get to explain further because we reach our destination. Piper is standing worriedly on the steps to her building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas!!!!!!


	3. Piper

# Piper

## Nobody Ever Tells Me Anything

**[ _ Suite and Jacket _ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AigOUsOEhSY) by Judah & the Lion **

I know what Nico had just told me on the phone. I know I had been perfectly accepting and agreeable to what he said he needed. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t questioning my own sanity when faced with an unconscious, injured, but alive Percy Jackson on my front step.

After turning the tap to my tub on I’d gone out to greet them, wanting to assess the situation for myself. All I discovered was that an hour long explanation could not have prepared me for what I was going to deal with when Nico and his friends got here. Excluding the fact that I’d never seen them before in my life, which was weird because I thought Jason knew all of Nico’s friends.

The guy that was carrying Percy was huge. Tall and muscular with an aura around him that I normally associated with Nico and Hazel. His face was kind, though it was currently creased with worry.

There was also a Muslim girl with them. She surveyed my building and the area around it with piercing eyes, like she was waiting for another attack. I didn’t bother to wonder who they were, Percy was bleeding through his bandages.

“This way.” I say leading them through the front door and up the stairs to my apartment. The girl is digging frantically through her backpack muttering something about a magic item as we walk down the brightly lit hall. I wonder exactly who it is that Nico brought to my house as I let them all into my home. Under Nico’s watchful eye I direct the large guy towards the bathroom. As soon Percy is in the tub he starts digging through his bag as well muttering about healing amulets.

“Nectar’s in the medicine cabinet, right?” Hazel asks already moving to dig through the cabinet herself.

“Yeah, I think it’s on the third shelf in a hair dye bottle.” I say watching the Muslim girl pull some kind of crystal out of her backpack.

It’s not long until Percy is left in the tub with an amulet slung around his neck and the crystal in the water with him. Hazel feeds him some nectar and ambrosia for good measure. I would seriously question this method of healing but the water is glowing and Percy’s wounds are knitting themselves together before my eyes. So, I decide that maybe I should just go with it.

“I think we can leave him to heal.” Hazel says after a moment. “We should talk. I’m sure you have a lot of questions Piper.”

Nico nods in agreement, "He's stablizing."

Hazel wasn’t wrong. First checking to make sure that Percy looked mostly okay. The worrisome wounds were already closing. There wasn’t anything more I could do.

I follow the other four out the door. I’m starting to realize that my day is about to go to pieces in a serious way. Being a demigod was so frustrating sometimes.

Hazel leads the way into the living room and everyone takes a seat.

“So, I guess I should start with introductions.” Hazel says once everyone is spread out across the living room.

“It would be nice.” I say dryly. Really I want to know how the heck Percy is alive and still eighteen. My mind is still spinning around what this means for all my friends, especially Annabeth. Second on my list is who exactly Hazel and Nico brought over. There’s something about the girl and guy that leaves me feeling extremely cautions. It’s kind of how I imagine that Jason originally felt about Camp Halfblood.

“This is Samirah and Walt.” Hazel says gesturing to first the girl and then the boy. “Samirah goes by Sam. She’s a Valkyrie and Walt is what the Egyptians call the Eye of Anubis.”

“What?” It’s like my brain refuses to process the words that just came out of Hazel’s mouth, like she’d started talking in some ancient language that wasn’t greek or latin.

I sit there and wait for someone to yell, ‘Psyche!’ like it was all some great joke. Were the seriously implying that there were other pantheons outside of the Greek and Roman? I knew there were other myths, but the idea that they were all real was too much. 

Hazel keeps on with the introductions. “You’d have to ask them exactly what their titles mean. I get fuzzy on the details. Sam. Walt. This is Piper McLean. She’s a daughter of Aphrodite and one of The Seven.”

“Nice to meet you.” Walt says politely. I felt bad for not trusting him.

“Same to you.” I say keeping my smile kind.

Sam just kind of nods in my direction. I realize that this is a no funny business girl a lot like Annabeth. 

She proves me right a moment later when she say. “Okay now that we’ve got that out of the way we need to figure out what happened out there. I have never seen anything like that and when I get back to Valhalla I’m going to have to make a report. So, I need to know what happened.

The kids that had come in with Nico instantly turn serious. “I don’t think any of us have. I didn’t realize monsters from different pantheons could even cross breed.” Nico says thoughtfully. 

He’s staring out the window with a broody frown creasing his forehead. I can’t help but wonder what my friend is really thinking. It’s not every day your first crush comes back from the dead.

“I’m not sure they can.” Walt interjects. “I mean we’d have seen hybrids before if they could. Except for The Son of Sobek there isn’t anything and it’s only Egyptian and Greek, not Viking.”

I am beginning to feel like I’d been dropped into the middle of a movie with a major role after reading an entirely different script. What was a hybrid anyways and why can’t they exist? I had a feeling they weren’t talking about particularly efficient cars.

“We’re missing something.” Hazel says thoughtfully. She’s watching her half-brother intently, like she hopes Nico will just pop out with the answers. Even though Nico was known for being the guy with the most information on shady stuff like this I didn’t think that was likely to happen in this instance.

“Yeah, the story.” Sam replies with a dramatic eye roll.

Suddenly Nico sighs and gets up. He heads into the kitchen and everyone watches him go. “Where are you going Nico?” Hazel calls out.

“To get a drink.” Nico calls back. “Anyone want anything? We might as well relax. Sam’s right, we’re not going to understand what’s going on till we have the story. And we won’t have the story till Percy wakes up.”

I still have no idea what is going on but the other three seem to agree with Nico’s analysis of the situation. Soon we’re sitting around making small talk sipping at our favorite sodas. It’s ridiculous.

“Okay.” I interrupt once Nico and his friends have digressed into talking about the weather. “How do you know each other? How are Vikings and Egyptians a thing? And how the heck is Percy Jackson still alive?”

There’s dead silence for a solid minute before Hazel and Nico start falling over each other trying to answer me. I can’t help feeling a little pleased that I can have that effect on such powerful people.

After a moment of completely incomprehensible squabbling Nico and Hazel seem to decide that it’s Nico’s story to tell.

“Well, technically Percy isn’t alive.” Nico starts. “He did actually die, but we can get back to that. It’s more Sam’s thing to explain anyways."

"As for how we know each other, Sam, Walt, Hazel and I all have powers related to death. Which means we all spend a lot of time around the dead and dying. It started when I kept running into Walt in graveyards. He’d been doing some funeral work with Anubis in New Orleans.”

“Cause that doesn’t make it sound creepy.” Walt grumbles into his Mountain Dew.

“Anyways.” Nico cuts across his friend. “We got to know each other and each other’s pantheons. Eventually I introduced him to Hazel and we would meet up every few months for coffee to catch up.”

I couldn’t help but wonder what death kids would catch up on. Were they like, ‘Hey, did you hear about that haunted farmhouse in Texas? Poor Farmer Murdoch is just so angry. Still, somebody needs to go tell him that murder is not the answer.’, while sipping on fancy coffee?

There wasn’t much of a chance to dwell on it though because Nico was still talking. “Hazel eventually met Samirah fighting some kind of monster. I think Sam was watching one of the mortals involved for Valhalla. And well since she was a Valkyrie and a lot like the rest of us we invited her to join our group. We figured that by keeping connected we could have a better picture of what was going on in the godly world.”

“At the very least we thought it would be useful to know if another pantheon was in danger of being obliterated due to a world ending threat.” Sam added helpfully.

“Which is how we know that things have been too quiet for the last few months across all the pantheons.” Nico continued. “As you know everyone has been holding their breath waiting for something awful to happen.”

I nod to let Nico know I was still with him.

“Well that’s where Percy comes in. We were having one of our meetings when we heard this awful crash and someone started yelling at the mortals to run. We all knew that could only mean trouble. It turned out that the person was Percy and the monster he was fighting was something we’d never even imagined.”

Nico pauses in his story here. Takes a shaky breath like whatever he saw was disturbing. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what would disturb Nico Di Angelo. The poor guy had seen so many terrible things. He’d been in Tartus for the gods sake. What could be worse than that?

“It was a monster.” He finally continues. I nearly smirk at that, monsters weren’t so bad. But, this was Nico we were talking about. Nico scary-stuff-doesn’t-scare-me Di Angelo, who was acting seriously spooked. “But not one any of us had ever seen before. It had the body of an Egyptian sphinx but the head of a Viking dragon and its wings were kraken claws. It was huge and we couldn’t kill it. Not individually and not without Percy’s guidance.”

Nico trails off like he’s watching the monster in his mind with horror.

Hazel picks up the story where Nico left off. “It was the hardest kill we’d ever made and Percy said he’d been in The Abyss fighting the thing and it’s brethren for the past three months. Before he passed out he called it a hybrid of all the pantheons. It could only be killed by magic from all the pantheons. If there are more coming I’m not sure how we’re going to survive.”

I want to say something comforting. I want to question my friend’s sanity. I want to reply bravely that we’ve survive other terrible things. I don’t know what to say.

The front door opens and Jason calls out from the entryway. “Pipes? You home?”

Without considering my actions, I get up and run to Jason. He is in full Roman gear, toga and all, having just returned from a temple dedication in New Rome. I throw myself into my startled boyfriend’s arms and bury face against his chest. Being here feels like safety, home, and strength.

“Piper?” Jason asks again more softly. “Hey, what’s wrong?” He’s trying to pull away far enough to look me in the eye but I can’t let go. We’re going to have another near death war and I don’t want it. I just want everyone to stay safe.

I hear the sharp shriek of shoe rubber of against tile and Jason’s voice rumbles through his chest. “Nico? What are you doing here? What’s wrong?”

“It isn’t good.” Nico starts but he’s interrupted.

There’s a splash from the bathroom and Percy calls down the hall. “Nico? Hazel?”

I don’t have to look up to know that Percy has stepped out into the hall. The way Jason’s body goes stiff and his arms tighten around me says everything I need to know.

It’s silent. No one dares to speak. I guess it shouldn’t feel unusual for Percy to break it. He often was the one to break tension back on the Argo II. He’s been gone so long that it’s the strangest thing in the world.

“Oh. Um. Hi Jason.” Percy says with his usual eloquence. I peek past Jason’s shoulder just in time to see Percy raise his arms in a ta-da like gesture. “Surprise?”

He’s still in rough shape. Through his tattered clothing I can see that there are a lot of half healed cuts and bruises on his torso, arms, and legs. He’s standing like his left leg is still hurting him. To top it all off our friend is way too thin. Like, thinner than Nico had been when we pulled him out of those jars.

Still, Percy looks a hundred times better than he did when Nico and Hazel had brought him in.

“Perce?” Jason asks. I don’t know how Jason gets so much emotion into that one syllable. It’s surprise and disbelief and heartbreak and hope all at once.

“Yeah, it’s me.” Percy says. The now younger demigod moves forward as if to give Jason a hug. The manly slap on the back kind that they used to exchange all the time. Then Percy freezes and looks down at himself.

“I’d give you a hug man.” Percy says going for a smile. It’s not quite heartfelt but I think everyone understands. “But I’m soaking wet and what’s left of my clothes are a still a bit bloody. Can I borrow something?”

I’m thankful to Percy because it’s what Jason and I both need: a responsibility, something to be tended to, a reason not to fall apart.

Jason pulls away from me and says. “Yeah bro. I’m sure I’ve got something.” He says bro with a little sarcastic smirk. I haven’t heard Jason say ‘bro’ since Percy died. He’d always said it was stupid word afterwards but I’d always suspected it had to do with Percy’s death.

“I’ll take care of it.” I offer. Knowing that while Jason is willing to step in and help he also needs a moment to process, to gather information from the others. Not that we have much.

“Yeah. Thanks, Pipes.” Jason says giving me a grateful look. “I think some of my old Camp shirts are in the bottom of my drawer. They might fit.”

“Anything is better than what I’ve got.” Percy says gesturing to his current ruined outfit. It’s sadly very true. I’ve come out of quests that lasted weeks with my clothing in better condition.

“Come on, Percy.” I say gently reaching out to guide him towards Jason and I’s bedroom. “We’ll get you properly bandaged up while we’re at it.”

It’s not that hard to find something that will fit Percy. He may not have hit his final growth spurt but he’s still very tall like Jason, if skinnier than I’d like to see. I end up giving him some of Jason’s cargo shorts and one of my oversized camp T-shirts. I figure having something familiar to wear might be comforting for Percy.

The grateful look he gives me when I hand the clothing over tells me I’m right. “Thanks for doing this Piper. I’m sure this isn’t how you intended to spend your day.”

“What getting the down low on another apocalypse?” I say trying to sound offhanded and maybe a little funny. Unfortunately, I think I just came off as flippant. I’m not sure what else would make Percy’s expression fall like it does.

I want to apologize immediately. But I’m not sure how Percy would handle it so instead I offer to help bandage him up.

The first thing I notice is that there is an incredible amount of scarring on Percy. Old slashes and cuts of varying sizes and depths. I know for a fact that Percy’s skin wasn’t this marred when he died.

“There’s a lot of monsters down there.” Percy mumbles self-consciously and I realize I’ve been staring.

“You can tell us all about it once we get you fixed up.” I promise. “You’ve mostly healed up anyways. I’m just going to bandage the one on your shoulder and wrap up your ankle.”

Percy shoots me a quizzical look and I’ve seen that from enough demigods trying to hide injuries that all I can do is frown.

“Don’t even think about telling me your ankle isn’t sprained Percy.” I say firmly. “I saw you limping.”

I feel a lot better about Percy’s situation when he gives me a shit eating grin and says, “Yeah, okay mom.”

If Percy can be sarcastic he’s going to be okay. But the smile doesn’t last long. It pretty quickly slides off his face and he says, “Oh gods. My mom.” He puts his head in his hands and closes his eyes sighing.

I’ve gotten his shoulder bandaged by that point and move to the floor to wrap the ankle. This way I can also see Percy’s face. “Sally’s okay, Percy.” I say soothingly. “I mean she was heartbroken when we lost you. But she and Paul are okay. They have your little sister.”

“And she’s doing alright?” Percy asks hesitantly. I can hear a thousand unasked questions in the two words.

“Yeah.” I can’t help but smile thinking about Percy’s precious little sister. “She’s a real cutie. Looks a lot like Sally but is mischievous like you. She’s four and her name is Jacklyn.”

“Jacklyn.” Percy says softly, like he’s amazed by the simple name. “Do you think it would be okay if I visited her?”

“I think you better visit them.” I say sternly. “Cause I’m telling you Jacklyn has loads of over protective aunts and uncles and someone is bound to let something slip at some point. Sally deserves to know you’re okay.”

“Not sure that I’m all that well.” Percy says sadly. “But you’re right I should go home. Mom would kill me for not visiting her before another apocalypse again…wait, what do you mean Jacklyn has loads of aunts and uncles. Paul and Mom are both only children.”

“Us, Percy.” I say obligingly. Getting to my feet I go and get the clothing I’d selected for Percy. “She and you both have us as your family. Now get dressed, I’ll go check on the others.”

With another look I head back out to the kitchen. I don’t know what I expected to find there but it definitely wasn’t Jason making an ass of himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading guys! Let me know what you think!


	4. Jason

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentines Day y'all. Also be sure to tune back in tomorrow, we're still posting on the usual schedule.

# Jason

## I Jump to Conclusions With Out a Parachute

**[ _ Pompeii _ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m326LNIRB3k) by Bastille **

Okay, so, first off it’s the understatement of the year to say I was freaking out. It is also an understatement to say that I was being a jerk about it. But none of this was supposed to be happening and I didn’t know how else to react.

All I knew was that every second I had Nico’s friends in my home I was risking the wrath of the gods, all of them. Not just the ones I served. All of them.

I couldn’t have these people sitting calmly in my clean and open kitchen drinking soda and tea like it was the natural thing to do. They were putting an absolute crisis on my hands and I couldn’t act like it was anything else.

****

I hadn’t missed the Bone Steel on the watchful girl’s spear. I knew where her wolf of winter armor came from. She was clearly a norse demigod, though I wasn’t sure if she lived or not.

****

I also hadn’t missed the Egyptian amulets hanging around the tall guy’s neck. Especially the symbol of Anubis glinting brightly in the kitchen light. I didn’t need to look any deeper to know he was a magician in the House of Life.

****

I knew exactly what these people were. I’d been told about the Greeks when I became Praetor. When I became Pontifex I was warned that the world was even bigger than that. There was really only one rule regarding it too.

****

Pantheons were not supposed to mix, ever, period. As Pontifex it was my job to ensure that the Legion was protected from exposure to them by any means necessary. Lethal force was totally seen as an acceptable option by the gods. All of them. 

****

You can understand why I found this situation stressful. I didn’t want to have to kill anybody. Especially if, for some insane reason, they were Nico’s friends. 

Then to make matters even worse, there was the fact that Percy was alive. Beaten to a bloody pulp, starved and by the haunted lost look in his eyes traumatized, sure. But, he was alive. It was still a better status than before I’d come home. He wasn’t dead.

****

I couldn’t wrap my head around that. I was filled with guilt over it. I should be the reason that Percy was alive. He should be a year older than me and alive. He should be enjoying his life in New Rome with Annabeth, not this. 

****

It was all my fault. If I’d acted more quickly, more shrewdly, when Laelaps had been after him we wouldn’t be here. Having one of the best friends I’d ever had, who I’d practically let die, hanging out in my house was soul crushing.

It didn’t help that the only reason I knew that Percy could be alive now meant deep trouble for Nico. Apparently Nico had found him in the Underworld after all. There wasn’t any other way that Percy could have come back. The only question left was why did Nico seem to suddenly be out to break all of the rules?

That’s why my first words to Nico once we were all settled, and more importantly out of Percy’s ear shot were “What did you do Nico?”

My assumption was justified. He’d done it once before with Hazel following a rough time. I didn’t care what he said, breaking up with Will had been rough on him. I just needed to know why he was doing these things.

I see Piper make her way into the kitchen and frown at my tone. She gives me a deeply reproachful look, but I can’t stop now.

****

I knew I was being harsh, but I had to get the situation under control. The path we were currently on was far more dangerous than anyone in the room could imagine. We could change the godly world for ever, and the gods would not appreciate it one bit. 

Even though I was scared out of my wits, I did my best to keep my body language relaxed and my tone understanding. I don’t think it helped keep Nico from getting angry.

“Excuse you?” Nico snaps back. He’s one of few people I’ve met who actually blushes furiously. As in, he blushes when he’s angry. I don’t miss the fact that Nico’s cheek bones have flared bright red while his fists turn into tight balls at his sides.

I hope I’m not about to get punched. He was thin framed but Nico packed a hard punch. I knew from participating in enough training exercises with my friend. 

“Nico.” I say keeping my tone firmly gentle. I know this is a sensitive subject but I have to know what you did to get Percy out of the Underworld." Hopefully there was a sane, god driven, reason for this. “It’s okay. You can tell us. Percy’s alive and we both know how that happens.”

Nico’s muscles tighten like he’s going to lunge at me but the Viking girl beats him to it. Luckily she goes for a verbal attack instead of a physical one.

“Hi, yes, sorry to interrupt.” She says hurriedly. “But I thought you’d like to know that Percy is technically dead. He’s just less dead than other afterlives would make him because he is einherjar.”

Gods.

“That’s great.” I bite out. I’d been expecting the worst case scenario to be that Nico had pulled Percy out of the Underworld behind Hades back. This was a hundred times worse.

But if this girl knows that Percy is einherjar it can only mean one thing. She wasn’t just a mortal girl who was aware of her viking heritage as I’d been hoping. “You’re a Valkyrie.”

The Valkyrie nods. “I am. You’re the Roman’s Pontifex Maximus.”

I’m not afraid to admit that I was completely at a loss for what to do next. I couldn’t imagine what possessed Nico to bring the pantheons together like this. Or what possessed Percy to try for Valhalla. I could only hope that my friend hadn’t somehow learned Egyptian magic while he was there.

****

If he had I wasn’t quite sure why he’d been allowed to live. The gods had been very clear on what would happen to anyone who dared to go down that path. I hoped I wasn’t expected to be the one to make all of this stop

I’m broken from my thoughts by the Egyptian magician. “The Pontifex!” He hisses through his teeth to Nico. “Nico, you didn’t say anything about going to the Pontifex’s house.”

****

His eyes dart about the room looking for an escape. I’m sure I’ve made the guy feel a bit caged. It’s not what I want but if it makes him leave and not come back, perhaps it’s a good thing. 

Even though he was mad at me, Nico jumps to my defense.

“Walt, it’s okay.” He says calmly. “This isn’t ancient Rome. Jason isn’t going to do anything just because you’re the Eye of Anubis.”

It’s all I can do not to swear. I’d figured the guy had some affinity with the god, but Eye is much worse.“No, I’m not. But Nico it’s a terrible idea to mix the Pantheons.” I need a way to politely kick the Eye of Anubis and Handmaiden of Odin out of my house immediately.

“I think you should tell that to Percy.” Hazel says dryly. She doesn’t seem to be too upset about the situation. Then again she hasn’t had the gods threateningly tell her not to let this exact thing happen, in person, on pain of death.

As if that were some sort of cue Percy comes in toweling his hair dry. I’m kind of offended that he can act like the world isn’t ending in my kitchen. 

****

“Tell what to Percy?” He asks. Then he sees Piper and smiles. “Hey, Piper. Thanks for the clothes. Do you happen to have any food? I haven’t eaten in, um, how long have I been gone?”

“You mean dead?” I ask pointedly. I couldn’t handle the fact that Percy wasn’t dead when I’d seen him die. It was too much on top of everything else. My temper was getting short. I knew I needed to reign it in but didn’t know how.

“Yeah, that.” Percy says not letting my foul mood get to him. “So, food? Then we probably need to talk. All of us.”

It wasn’t long till we were all in the living area. Nico and Hazel piled onto the couch with their friends. It became clear pretty immediately that they knew each other well enough to not need much personal space. Which was only more proof that this was not good.

Piper and I were left with the oversized arm chair since Percy immediately sat on the floor so he could set his plate on the coffee table and eat. I took the footrest leaving Piper the chair. I had a feeling I would abandon sitting for pacing soon anyways. I already felt like I was crawling out of my own skin.

It took us a bit to get started. Percy must have really been starving because for a while he ignored us in favor of wolfing down the three huge sandwiches he’d made. There was no way he would have been able to speak with the way he kept his mouth full.

****

I wonder how long it’d been for Percy since he hadn’t eaten, and why Valhalla hadn’t fed him. 

He finally slows down half way through his third sandwich. Blinking up at us like he just realized we were there, Percy swallows his food and wipes his mouth on the back of his sleeve. Despite the stress coursing through my veins like fire I have refrain from laughing at the sight. Some things never change I guess, at least dying didn’t seem to have taught Percy any manners.

****

Delicately setting his sandwich down he says, “Right, so I guess I just need to come out and say it. We’re facing another apocalypse.”

“I think one was more than enough for me, thanks.” The Eye of Anubis, Walt, says dryly. I can’t help but appreciate his opinion, even if I still needed him to leave. Speaking of, it’s time to take control of the situation.

“Okay, guys. I’m really not comfortable with this. I don’t even know who exactly these two are but I know I can’t have them here.” I interrupt before I can decide that this is sane in anyway. 

****

“Well, I’m Sam.” The Valkyrie says like I’d been asking for introduction. “You know I’m a Valkyrie. For honesty's sake I am also a child of Loki, though I disagree with my father on pretty much everything.”

****

“And I’m the Pharo’s unofficial second in command.” Walt chimes in. “But mostly the House of Life knows me as the Eye of Anubis.”

****

I sigh because these are all things I do not need to know. My goal here is not to make new friends. I decide to ignore them and try to get somebody, meaning Percy, to see sense. I’d deal with Nico and Hazel and their choice in friends after that.

****

“Look, Perce, I’m sorry you died and that a Valkyrie picked you up. But, that’s Odin’s problem. You belong to the Vikings now and combining pantheons like this unspeakably dangerous. I mean I have been threatened by the gods over something like this. Whatever is coming, we’ll face it from our separate corners. It worked for us with Kronos.”

Percy scoffs at me. “Yeah, tell that to the river goddess in my head.” 

****

My heart pummels. Percy really has gone and embodied all of the pantheons. The Mark of Rome branded into his arm painfully reminding me of how this all started. 

****

“Look, Jason, I’m not asking you to commit to anything here. But hear me out? Please, when we combined camps it was because it was absolutely necessary. I wouldn’t pull something like this on a whim.”

I frown but gesture to him to continue. I guess I owe that much to my friend and the gods haven’t struck us all dead yet. Maybe they can allow five more minutes of conversation.

“I haven’t been chilling out in Valhalla or something. I left that place the second I arrived.” Percy continues to plead his case desperately.

“Which was very rude.” The Valkyrie threw in. “I went to a lot of effort to save you, you know.”

Percy just rolls his eyes and keeps trying to convince me. “I ran into this Giant-Demon-Cyclops hybrid thing the second I got out. If it weren’t for Nephthys I wouldn’t have been able to kill it and I’d just be dead. Like no soul left, gone forever, dead. Instead I got sucked into The Abyss with it. There were a lot of monsters there, but one kind was new.”

Percy has my attention now. The gods could deal with the fact that we were walking dangerous lines for a moment. I had a feeling Percy was about to tell me why things had been way too quiet for us the past few months.

I had a terrible feeling Percy was the reason. The weight of my guilt gets just a bit heavier.

It takes Percy a long moment to gather his thoughts. I’d seen the expression on his face on people with serious arrow wounds. He was expecting the rest of this story to hurt and he was trying to figure out how to get it over with as quickly as possible. Bracing himself for the telling.

“I woke up on an island in the abyss.” Percy says cautiously, like talking about it will make it real. “It had a little stream that flowed with water from the mortal world. In the abyss there were more monsters like the first trying to follow the stream up into the mortal world.”

I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until the air left my lungs in a huge sigh. Percy gives me this look from where he’s sitting on the floor. Like he’s pleading with me not to interrupt. I manage to refrain from interrupting him but I do have to get up and pace while Percy continues talking. Saying words I don’t want to hear.

“There were hundreds of them and their numbers kept growing because they were getting made in the sea. Made by Yimur, Apophis, and Tartus.”

From the corner of my eyes I see Nico shiver at Percy’s words. Out of anyone he can comprehend the horror Percy is describing. I know I can’t, not completely. I’d never been to Tartus like the other two had. It was a trip I hoped I never had to make. 

“I fought these things for three month, or five years I guess, depending on how you look at it.” Percy says and his tone tells me he’s glossing over months of awfulness.

“My body was failing me. I – well you guys saw me.” Percy says turning to Nico and his friends. “I was dying again. Nephthys convinced me to leave and come warn you.”

****

Then Percy turns back to me. “They’re coming and they can only be killed by the combined power of the pantheons. Literally combined, a little teamwork won’t cut it this time. You are all going to have to work together seamlessly. Kills must be made like a well oiled machine. I’ll do what I can, but I can’t stop them on my own.”

All the fight and anger went out of me like a strong breeze dying suddenly.

This was way worse than anything I had expected. But, I believed Percy. I was sick of wars, but I owed it to Percy to give him a chance. If he kept us safe for five years, I owed him my support.

Sighing I say, “I’m going to have to take this to the gods, Perce.”

“We all are.” The Valkyrie throws in.

Percy nods. “I was hoping you would say that.”

I guess I stare at him blankly or something because Percy says. “What you thought I would object? The whole reason I’m doing this is so we’re all prepared when those guys start clawing their way into the mortal world. Any godly support I could get would be appreciated. Even if it’s a mutual agreement to not kill me.”

“Right.” I say. “Well, then, I guess I need to go to Olympus.”

“Wait, wait, Olympus is a place?” Walt asks with an odd expression on his face. “Like, somewhere mortals can go?”

“Sure.” Percy says. “Godlings only though, mortals would die.”

Walt just shakes his head in speechless amazement. I guess magicians don’t have a hall of the gods like we do. I get up to get my things for a trip into Manhattan. As I’m gathering my wallet I hear Percy hesitantly ask Piper about his mom.

“I can drive you to your mom’s apartment man.” I yell from the hall where I’m getting my keys.

There’s a long pause before Percy says weakly. “Yeah, thanks.” If I’m doing the least I can, I should take Percy back to his mom. She’s missed her son terribly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you missed it up above. Happy Valentines Day y'all. Also be sure to tune back in tomorrow, we're still posting on the usual schedule.


	5. Percy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, please note that Chapter 4 was posted yesterday for Valentines day. Don't want you to miss anything! Thanks for reading lovelies.

# Percy

## My Half Sister is Princess Buttercup

**[ _ Cecilia and the Satellite _ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tYya_LOPEw) by Andrew McMahon **

I’m going to be honest, I don’t think I’ve been so nervous in my entire life. That includes when I took Annabeth to prom. Or the times that the fate of the world actually rested on my shoulders. Or well, anytime really.

****

It’s not like I didn’t have plenty of reason to feel that way. After all, I’m trusting Jason to somehow convince the gods not to kill me. And explain exactly the mess I’ve found myself in. But that wasn’t really what was getting to me.

I tried not to let Jason see how nervous I was. He seemed to be stressed out enough with the news I brought. He also couldn’t look me in the eye and I couldn’t imagine why. We were going to have to talk about that.

Anyways, we pull up to the curb of a brownstone and Jason gives me a deep hard look. “Your mom’s a great lady, Percy.” He says seriously. “Really, she’s helped demigods a lot. Be nice. Keep your head.”

I nod, even though like why would I ever be mean to my mother? Jason nods like we have a perfect understanding, which we don’t and gestures for me to get out of the car. Yeah, he and I were having a talk as soon as we had a moment. Jason was acting weird, and if I found out it was from guilt I was going to be mad. My death wasn’t his fault.

So I get out of the car and head up the brown stones steps. About half way up I realize that I don’t know which apartment is Mom’s. All I can do is stand in the brownstone’s entryway suspiciously like any bad intended hooligan.

It’s a nice building. Nicer than the one we’d been in when I, well you know. It’s a really nice building. The wood in the entryway is old but warm with upkeep. The walls are a crisp creamy color. The mail boxes along one wall gleam brightly in the fluorescent light.

There’s a gold sign with big blocky black letters that reads, NO LOITERING. It’s probably meant for suspicious looking people like me. It’s a nice place.

Luckily I’m not loitering long before I hear a familiar voice call out. “Jaclynn, don’t get too far ahead sweetheart!”

I just barely register that the voice belongs to Paul before a giggling comet of pink flies down the stairs, smashing directly into my leg. I go down hard. So does the kid.

The kid, a little girl wearing a pink crown that say princess in purple, starts wailing almost instantly. I think she’s more scared than anything.

“Hey, hey.” I say gently crawling over to the kid. She’s sitting curled in on herself on the bottom step. “It’s okay, princess. You’re okay, right?”

“Jaclynn!” Paul’s voice yells from down the second story hall.

“I’ve got her Paul!” I yell to reassure my stepfather. I faintly register his running footsteps but most of my attention is taken by the little girl in front of me. It’s her eye’s that get my attention, they’re a dancing kaleidoscope of color just like moms. 

The girl sniffs and whimpers a little reminding me I need to do more than stare at her. “Are you okay?” I ask again.

She nods and seems to steel herself for something before a sticky hand is shoved in my face. “Hi. I’m Jaclynn, but right now I’m Buttercup.”

I’m not sure if I’m supposed to wave or shake her hand, it could be either or both. I go for patting her on the shoulder. That hand is seriously sticky. “Like Princess Buttercup?” I ask just to make sure I’ve got the game right. If I do it’s the most adorable thing I’ve seen. She nods seriously. “Well Princess Buttercup, I’m Percy.”

That’s when the footsteps I’d been mentally tracking stop and there’s a choking noise the floor above. I look up and Paul is standing by the banister staring at me in open disbelief.

“Um, hi Paul.” I say with even less grace than my little sister expressed a moment ago.

Paul says something but I can’t hear him because he speaks so quietly. The staring is sort of worrying me. I think he may actually be in shock.

“Daddy!” My sister yells excitedly, and when had she decided to be excited? “This is Percy we’re going to be best friends!”

Paul blinks and I realize that I’m going to need to do something more than leave Paul standing there. “Hey, Princess Buttercup, why don’t we go back up to your dad. Can I carry you?”

Jacklynn has to think about it for a second but she eventually nods solemnly. “A piggy back ride.”

Okay, I can do that. I let her climb up onto my back and remind her that she needs to hold on tight before I go up the stairs. I walk pretty fast, but honestly I could have run without dropping Jaclynn she isn’t all that heavy.

Once we get to Paul I help my little sister slide off my back and turn to face my stepfather. He seems to finally be coming out of his shock because he gasps my name and I’m enveloped in a hug.

When Paul finally pulls away he holds me at arm’s length. He’s still staring but now it’s critically, like he’s checking for any damage. Which given where I was a few hours ago is totally valid.

However, I’m a bit busy getting glared at by little girl.

“You didn’t say you know Daddy!” she pouts. I don’t know why it’s a bad thing if I know Paul. “Are you one of Mommy’s special friends?” I also don’t know what that means.

For whatever reason that brings Paul fully back into it. “Sweetheart we don’t talk about Mommy’s special friends. Okay.”

Jaclyn’s expression somehow turns even poutier. “But he’s one of them!”

Paul rolls his eyes. “We’ll talk about it later.”

There’s an awkward pause like Paul’s trying to figure out what to do next. I want to ask to be taken to mom. But I’m suddenly stupidly not sure if she’ll even want to see me. She has everything she ever wanted without me terrifying her by nearly dying every five seconds.

“I guess I should take you to Sally.” Paul finally says. “I’m dying to know how you’re here but I’m guessing it’s not the kind of story you tell twice.”

Paul turns to lead the way down the hall. I start to follow but Jaclyn tugs on my hand and gives me a look that very clearly states, up. It only takes a moment to hoist her on my shoulders before I can hurry to catch up to Paul.

“So you and mom had a kid?” I ask playfully pinching said kids knees.

She giggles wildly as Paul nods. “Yes, Jaclyn’s been a blessing.”

I have that feeling again like I’m interrupting or won’t be wanted. I know it’s ridiculous but it’s how I feel. It’s becoming abundantly clear that the world has moved on without me and I can’t begin to figure out how to catch up.

Somehow we’ve gotten to the apartment door. Paul pushes the door open and ushers me in. He’s removing Jaclyn from my shoulders when my mom’s voice calls out from the kitchen. Her tone is light and teasing. The familiar sound somehow comforts and upsets me at the same time.

“Paul? Is that you? How long does it take to get the mail, Darling?”

Paul murmurs a curse under his breath, soft enough that Jaclyn wouldn’t hear it. But seriously I don’t think mom was going to blame him for forgetting the mail considering.

“Paul?” My mom asks again her voice is closer now, then she steps around the corner. She’s drying a pan with a dishrag and it’s so normal that all I want is to give her a hug. However, my feet seem to have attached themselves to the floor and my voice is gone.

“Paul?” she asks finally looking up from her drying. There’s a moment where I feel like the world ends and then my mother says my name. At first in quiet disbelief and then filled with joy. The next moment Mom has dropped her pot and rag and I’m pulled into a tight hug.

For a moment everything is alright. She doesn’t smell like candy anymore but her hugs are warm and familiar. For the first time I can believe I’m home. I know I should hug her back but all I can do is go limp and accept the hug.

“Oh, Percy.” My mother says. Her voice full of so much emotion. She gives me another tight squeeze and pulls away.

I expect the usual questions. Where have you been? What happened? How are you still eighteen? That’s not what my mom says.

“Oh Sweetheart, look at you.” She says examining me with a critical eye. “When did you last eat?”

“I uh?” I had no idea how to tell the woman that raised me that excluding the three sandwiches I had at Jason’s I haven’t eaten in three months or five years depending on perspective.

My mom seems to understand anyways. She tsks and says, “Well, I can’t have that. Come into the kitchen and I’ll make something.” As she herds me into the kitchen she gives instructions to Paul. “Paul, darling, can you get Jaclyn to wash her hands? Then she can watch Kipper while we all talk.”

Once we reach the kitchen Mom sets to making blue pancakes with intent.

“You can start telling us what happened when Paul gets done with Jaclyn.” She says as she grabs ingredients from the pantry. She sounds a little stressed and I’m starting to feel like just showing up was a mistake. But, I’m not going to leave her unless I get kicked out.

“Jaclyn’s a cutie.” I say to fill the silence. I hate silence.

“Jaclyn is a Terrible Terror.” Paul declares having just walked into the kitchen. The front of his t-shirt is soaked. “Does anyone have a towel?”

I get up from the breakfast bar to grab him a kitchen towel from the counter. Paul catches it easily when I toss it to him.

“So, Percy, what happened?” Paul says once he’s gotten himself a little drier. It’s not much though, he’s just short of dripping water on the floor.

Mom’s moved on to washing off the blueberries.

Sighing I walk over and tap his shoulder muttering like the only Egyptian spell word I know. When I say “mym” the water in Paul’s shirt evaporates.

“Handy.” Paul says grinning down at his now dry shirt. “Also not an answer to the question.”

“I just don’t know how to answer the question without it sounding awful.” I admit after a long silence.

“How about truthfully?” Paul says. I know he’s trying to help, but he really isn’t. My story is awful. I don’t want to upset my parents.

My mom must have gotten that sense because I hear a muffled sob from the sink. She tries to wipe at her tears but they just keep falling.

Paul is by her side in an instant. I don’t know what to do so I awkwardly stand there while my Stepfather handles the situation.

“It’s okay, Honey. It’s okay. Percy’s here. He’s alive. It’s okay.” Paul says over and over again until my mom’s tears subside. I am smart enough to know that now is not the time to contradict his words.

Finally, my mom takes a deep steadying breath and looks to me with a smile. “I’m sorry, Percy.” She says softly. “I just missed you so much Sweetheart.”

I’m also smart enough to know that I need to go to my mom and give her a hug. It’s so easy and this time I know it’s the most valuable thing in the world, these small moments of comfort.

As my mom hugs me again she whispers. “I’m just so glad you’re alive.”

I must give away my disagreement somehow because my mom pulls away frowning. “Perseus?”

She doesn’t need to say anything else. I know all the questions she has in her tone of voice alone. Mostly she is demanding that I explain myself immediately.

“Uh, it’s complicated.” I said guiltily rubbing the back of my neck. “But I’m not quite alive.” I try for a blinding smile so mom doesn’t worry. “It’s not too bad though. I mean I’m not completely dead either! And Valhalla isn’t all that bad I guess.”

The frown lines creasing mom’s forehead only deepen and she leans against the counter for support. “Explain.”

Well what can I do in the face of that besides tell my story? By the time I finish telling them about the different pantheons and the true nature of the abyss we all have tears in our eyes. After another round of hugging mom sets to making pancakes with renewed energy. Like she can wash away all the badness with breakfast. Once I taste the food I kinda think it might work.

We’ve moved on to talking about Paul’s work. Apparently he knows Carter Kane, who lives close enough to Goode that his little sister and friends went to Highschool there. 

****

Suddenly, there’s a sound like a horrible crash from the living room. Then Jaclynn bursts into loud tears.

Images of my little sister being crushed by some suddenly sinister piece of furniture spring to mind. I join my parents in sprinting into the living rooms for the next surprise of the day.

Which is my teary-eyed sister looking warily at the Greek God of the Sea. Who is watching her just as suspiciously. My father is in his usual sea fisherman gear, but he looks as uncomfortable as I’ve ever seen the usually unflappable god.

“Poseidon?” My mom demands instantly going into mama bear mode. She scoops up Jaclynn and holds her close to her body swaying comfortingly. “Why is Jaclynn crying?”

I was impressed by how embarrassed her tone made Poseidon look. 

****

“I didn’t mean to.” My dad tries to explain. “I was coming to see Percy. I didn’t realize there was anybody to scare.”

Jaclynn still looks like she isn’t sure it’s okay to quit crying, and for some reason she’s staring at me with wide watery eyes.

“Alright there, Buttercup?” I ask her with an easy smile. Trying to let her know it's okay. She reaches out for me with grabby hands and mom passes her off. I hold my sister close whispering soothing nonsense into her soft curls while Mom stares Poseidon down.

“There is a door for a reason, you know.” She tells him stiffly. “Next time you can knock.”

“Of course.” He says. “It won’t happen again. I just-” I’d never heard my dad sound uncertain before but suddenly he’s gesturing almost helplessly to me as he says, “Percy.” As if that explains his behavior. In a way, I guess it does.

There are so many layers to his tone that I’m not sure how to take it. He’s confused, worried, relieved and angry and I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.

There are several things I want to say. Snarky responses about how I’m here not that he’d helped much. Actual reassurances for the god that was sometimes proud of me. Explanations for why I deserved to exists and reasons Nephthys and I weren’t looking to topple the pantheons with our alliance.

The truth is I don’t know why he’s here and it makes me nervous. My dad has always been on my side, but the way things are now he could decide that I’m his enemy.

Our silence is broken by Jaclynn who is still sniffling into my, I mean Piper’s, T-shirt. It’s easier to pay attention to her and not my father. I can feel him watching me as I trace her tear stained cheek with my fingers.

“Are you okay?” I ask again turning so she can see my parents and stepping away to put some distances between her and my father. My little sister nods but her hands tighten in my shirt. I’m not sure what I’ve done to earn this level of trust. Jaclynn hasn’t known me for longer than an hour. I wonder if I was ever that trusting.

“She’s so small.” My father observes softly. He’s looking at Jaclynn over my shoulder and I wonder how he got that close without me noticing. It scares me more than I want to admit.

His tone is conciliatory and I still don’t know what he wants. On an impulse, I raise an eyebrow questioningly at him. It’s not a gesture I typically make, but there’s a lot of things I do now that I didn’t used to. It’s a natural motion thanks to Nephthys.

“I wouldn’t have chosen this for you Percy.” My father says obliquely.

“Yeah, well, that makes three of us.” I find myself saying. Nephthys’ wish that this wasn’t my problem making it’s way into my words.

My father smiles. “I know she’ll take care of you.”

I feel myself bristle at his words. A sharp retort like, I can take care of myself thanks, is on the tip of my tongue.

As if to remind me she is there, making it a terrible time to start a fight with a god, Jacklynn hiccoughs a little and burrows against my shoulder. My arms tighten protectively around her and I take a calming breath. I look over to mom, thinking she might be able to help me figure out what Poseidon wants.

My mom sighs. “Poseidon, why are you here? I know it’s not to stare at Jaclynn.” There’s warning in her tone, a message that there will be problems if his presence had anything to do with my baby sister. I silently second that opinion.

Poseidon shakes his head smiling a little sardonically. “No. No.” He says decisively. “I am here to pass a message on to Percy. The Olympians have just finished meeting with the Pontifex as well as Others and have come to a decision.” The others is said in a tone that heavily implies that they pulled the other pantheons in. “Much of it concerns Perseus and I thought I should let him know how things stand in person.”

In my arms Jaclynn sighs heavily and her breathing slows as she falls asleep.

“I take it they’re going to let me live?” I ask. Cringing internally at the reminder the words bring. I’m not actually alive.

My father smiles sadly. “They will allow your continued existence, yes.”

“Then what else is there?” I ask. Jaclynn shifts uncomfortably and I sway from side to side a bit as I’d seen my mother do earlier. Maybe that will ease her into a deeper sleep. Having this to concentrate on makes the discussion I’m having with my father easier. “I’ll take out the bad guy and do whatever it is einherjar do.”

“This threat will not be that easy to ‘take out’.” Poseidon says. Which I already know that having all the knowledge of a god in my head at a moments notice has it’s perks.

Poseidon nods knowingly at some expression I must have made.

“You will need assistance in this war, son.” My father says. “The gods know that.”

I fight to keep my shoulders from sagging in disappointment. The truth is that I don’t want to need help with this because the best way to help me is to become like me. I would prefer that nobody else have to die to save the world.

“What if I don’t want any help?” I ask hoping Poseidon will understand.

“I think your friends will want to help regardless of your desires Percy.” Poseidon says. “The gods don’t want anyone to die either but you won’t win on your own. So, let those who volunteer learn to help. Leave the rest to the Fates.”

I really didn’t like that answer, the Fates never treated me well. It’s not like I had much of a choice. I didn’t even have a prophecy to guide me.

As if he was reading my mind my dad nodded. “All in due time, Perseus.”

I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying something like, ‘great pep talk dad’. Luckily I don’t have to stand there long. As I have long known my father is a very busy god and he doesn’t have time to stand around with his family.

The conversation with my father rather abruptly ends. 

“Well, that is all that I have to tell you Perseus. I will assist you where I can. Nephthys, please take care of my son, he is one of my favorites.”

He does at least take a moment to turn to my mom. “Sally, your family is lovely. It was nice to see you again Paul Blowfish.” And then the window bangs open again and my father is gone on a sea breeze.

There is a long moment of silence before Jacklyn rubs her eyes and asks, “Kipper?”

“Sure, Princess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, in case you missed it at the top, Chapter 4 was posted yesterday for Valentines day. Don't want you to miss anything! Thanks for reading lovelies.


	6. Samirah

# Samirah

## Duck, Duck, Goat

**[ _ Soldier _ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32W3J7XaNH8) [ by Fleurie ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32W3J7XaNH8)**

I hadn’t been home long before I’d been formally called to a meeting with Odin. Amir was worried about all the work I’d been doing when I was supposed to be winding down, but I knew I had to go. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what the King of the Norse Gods wanted. 

And if I could fulfill my next job my debts to Odin would be paid and I would finally get to come home for good. 

As expected I left our short discussion with instructions to bring Percy Jackson back to Valhalla so that he could be fully initiated into Odin’s army of undead warriors. When this was done my service could finally be considered complete. My husband would be so happy. 

What I hadn’t expected was to find was my charge standing expectantly by the ducks the very moment I set foot on Midgard. 

He glances up at me looking a little more lost than one would expect from a hero of his caliber. I’d spoken with Nico before and definitely knew Jackson’s history. Of course, if anybody should be lost, it’s Percy. It sounded like the guy never got a break. And the things he’s been through since his last death were just terrible.

“I can’t figure out how to get back in.” Percy says, and I can feel how much it pains him to admit it. 

I should teach him how to open Yggdrasil, but I’m on a fairly tight schedule. I need to get home to study, airplanes won’t fly themselves of course. So, instead I open the branches of the world tree myself. Percy nearly falls over one of the ducks with the shock of Yggdrasil’s large road like branches stretching before him. 

“Well?” I ask expectantly, and finally a bit of the hero everybody keeps talking about reveals himself. Percy doesn’t hesitate, he jumps onto the tree without question. When I land beside him he is surveying the area, making sure he has my back.

He doesn’t show the normal, and totally reasonable, disorientation most people experience their first time climbing the world tree. He just looks alert but oddly at ease, the most notable thing about Percy at the moment was the way the wind ruffled his hair. 

“Now where to?” Percy asks, still watching his surroundings carefully. 

“Follow me.” I say. “Try to keep quiet. Ratatosk likes this portion of the tree.”

“Because that’s not vaguely ominous.” Percy says but he follows me anyways. I keep an eye open because I can feel that the portal to Valhalla is near. 

Just as I see the familiar glow of Valhalla's check-in desk I feel the tree shiver and hear the familiar YARK that means Ratatosk has found us.

“Whats-” Percy begins to ask, but I don’t let him finish. I shove him into the portal opened in a bend in the branch and he falls. I am not fighting the stupid squirrel on my last day serving Odin.

The usual suspects are hanging out in the lobby. They blink in surprise at us, that will change drastically if they realize who Percy is. Behind me Hunding's voice rumbles, “Well that was quick.”

“I stopped running.” Percy replies for me.

I’m not surprised when Hunding doesn’t reply. He doesn’t take escaping from Valhalla lightly. I wouldn’t either if I worked as hard as Hunding did.

“You can go on to the feast hall.” Hunding informs me. “You will have to wait a little longer than normal, but it is probably easiest considering our guests history. You should debrief him on the amount of trouble he is in.”

Percy opens his mouth like he’d like to argue. I step on his foot grab his sleeve and haul him towards the Feast Hall of the Slain. The last thing I need is for Percy to start an argument with management before he is tried. Not that it will be much of a presentation. Odin has already promised the other Pantheons that Percy will be fully accepted into Valhalla. The Thanes opinions on his crimes ultimately won’t matter. 

That doesn’t mean the Thanes won’t have many opinions. They always do. 

I can tell that Percy really wants me to explain what is going on. He also has just enough common sense to not ask with curious eyes on us.

We make it halfway down the hall to the Feast Hall, and more importantly out of earshot before Percy stops walking. “What did Hunding mean by the amount of trouble I am in?”

At least he’s to the point about it. 

“You ran away from Valhalla without Odin’s permission, Percy.” I say feeling very much like I am stating the obvious. “To make matters worse you did not voluntarily return at anything that begins to resemble a reasonable time. Which, to be frank makes the forces of Valhalla look foolish.”

“It’s not like I wanted to be where I did end up.” Percy interrupts defensively. “I didn’t actually volunteer for any of this you know. Demigods don’t get to say yeah that sounds like a good fight to take up. Or, yeah, you know, I’d really like to lead that life. We get told beat this bad guy or he beats you, and the cost is always too high not to go with it.”

I have to feel for Percy. He clearly needs to be able to spend a week on a nice quiet beach with no one to bug him, especially any gods.

Still that kind of attitude will not help with the Thanes. They will sense weakness and they will try to rip him to shreds before Odin is able to intercede. And just because Percy is under Odin’s protection doesn’t mean the Thane’s won’t have other means to punish him for his wrongs.

I begin to tell him as much, but there is the sound of wings and another Valkyrie lands with her new initiate for Valhalla. I try not to glare at her, it’s not her fault she’s interrupting she’s just doing her job after all. 

She looks at me curiously until she realized exactly who I have sitting next to me. Then she rather smartly and visibly decides to stay out of it.

The table for the newly dead fills quickly after that. If you can consider two new warriors, not including Percy, filling up. Shortly after that the real action happens as the main doors to the Feast Hall of the Slain are open. The Warriors of Valhalla spill in in cacophonous waves. 

I choke down the emotions that fill me as the hall fills. It will be the last time I see this sight, but I have a duty to Percy and Odin before I go. I will not fail in that regardless of how moved I am at this moment. 

As if he’d only just recognized the vastness of his surroundings Percy looks around in wide eyed amazement. “This place is huge.” He says mostly to himself. Then he notices the Tree of Laeradr and it’s inhabitants. 

“Why does your feast hall have a tree in the middle of it?” Percy asks watching the animals move around inside Laeradr’s branches.

I begin to launch into the typical explanation of how food works in Valhalla. Percy is the first godling I have meat to not be overly surprised by Saehrimnir. 

Either Mangus told him, or Percy is that used to strange things. I am somewhat worried it is the later. 

Instead of commenting on it though I nod towards the Thanes table. Percy looks at me curiously and I can’t help but roll my eyes. Percy is the bizarest mix of pointed instinct and complete idiot that I have ever met. 

“That is the Thanes table.” I tell him, still keeping my voice low. I am sure my fellow Valkyries know exactly who is with me. That doesn’t mean I have to draw extra attention to him. “Try not to cross them.”

Percy nods but is quickly distracted. The other Valkyries being serving dinner, a sight that does seem to grab Percy’s interest. Though I can’t say why. Soon it is time to dig into our food, but Percy doesn’t eat with the same relish he had shown with his sandwiches a few days before. 

“We aren’t going to poison you.” I say keeping my voice low. 

Percy frowns at his food before looking to me and saying, “The food at the last magical hotel I was in brainwashed me into wanting to stay forever.”

That made me have so many questions. What kind of a place did that?

“Well our food will just help with hunger.” I say instead. “Seriously, it’s good.”

Percy seems to decide to eat, and while at first he definitely picks at it, he is eventually eating as heartily as I had seen previously.

“So what’s with the water deer.” Percy asks and I get the distinct impression that something about Ike really does bother him. Unfortunately I do not get to respond.

The Thanes begin beating their cups against the table and I get to feel Valhalla’s heart beat one last time. Helgi stands raising his goblet and the hall goes silent. 

“Warriors!” Helgi declares in his booming voice. “Two new fallen have joined us today. That is reason to celebrate, and we shall, but first let us hear the defense of our third guest who chose to leave these halls upon his arrival five years ago. Percy Jackson, what do you have to say for yourself?”

I expect Percy to look at least a little panicked to be called out so blatantly. I know I would be. Instead he shows that he has nerves of steel. Percy looks at Helgi like he is, frankly, unimpressed with what he sees and says, “I was working for the gods. It’s not my fault that they didn’t see fit to tell you that I would be leaving.” 

It’s the worst possible response he could have given and I’m not surprised when Helgi’s face goes red. Percy’s bold declaration also sends Valhalla’s rumor mill to running. The whispers of a hundred thousand warriors are deafening. 

“Silence!” Helig orders and the hall goes silent again. Then the Hotel’s Manager turns to Percy. “That is the last time you will speak to anybody in that tone, boy.” he says in a soft tone of voice that is even more deadly than yelling.

Percy looks like he is itching to pull his sword, but the exchange is interrupted by someone at the high table clearing their throat. I look up to find Odin watching the exchange. If I didn’t know better, I would say the King of the Nine Realms looked amused. 

“Helgi, do try to control your temper.” He says as if he is warning the manager of an upturned collar. “Jackson speaks the truth, he was doing some work for me when he left Valhalla before induction.” 

“Why didn’t you tell us so, My Lord?” Davy Crockett asks curiously. 

Odin nods like he was expecting this questions. “Jacksons work was and still is imperative and top secret. In fact, it shall continue to be so for the foreseeable future.” The last part is said with a warning look to the Warriors of Valhalla. A clear message to not even think about asking.

“As for Jacksons’ worthiness for our halls, I assure you that Percy died a hero. He died bravely saving friends from a ferocious monster. He is truly a valuable addition to our army. And so with that and the work he is doing in mind, I give Jackson and any others he chooses to have assist him freedom to come and go as he pleases.”

“As for his parentage, I believe that should-”

I believe I was as horrified as everybody else when the Norn’s saw fit to interrupt Odin’s sentence. The bloop of the bubbling lake drew Valhalla’s attention away from Odin. Then with that eerie calmness that I hated to say I had become accustomed to the Norns came forward. 

“Percy Jackson” Their single voice still sent shivers up my spine. “Destroyer of The Way.”

I should be freaking out. The fact that the Norn’s are here means things are exponentially worse than I anticipated. Instead all I can think, is huh that’s a very ominous title. But really, that should be my second clue that things were not headed in a positive direction.

Then the middle Norn steps forward. Knowing what Percy was I wondered how they could possibly identify him. Would they claim him mortal, a magician, a demigod of unknown descent? 

Apparently all three is a viable option. I wonder what the Warriors think of the strange scene playing out ahead of them. Unfortunately it had to get a little weirder before snapping back to the starkness of our normal reality in Valhalla. 

The Norn’s give their prophecy, well, part of it. “Standing together or alone, the hero's all fall.” They say in one voice. With that, they bow to Percy and are gone. I can tell I am not the only one who is completely confused by the prophecy fragment. 

Next to me Percy seems disturbed. He hardly notices as the Norn’s bow to him and fade away into the mist. In fact he simply vaguely looks like his cut of beef flank mortally offended him and he is trying to determine how best to exact his revenge.

At the top table Odin smiles like we’d had a perfectly normal prophecy about something that would happen in the distant future, and not a fragment of one for something happening now. Most of Valhalla doesn’t seem to realize the gravity of what is happening. At least Percy does, though I wish he would say something.

“Helgi.” Odin says turning back to the hotel manager. “I will leave you to introducing our other two warriors to our great Halls.”

With that Odin was gone and Helgi stood to do as Odin asked. Rising from his chair he began the task of welcoming the newly dead. The Feast Hall quickly turned back to the familiar ritual of Dinner. We ended up with a new son of Thor and a daughter of Tyr. 

As the feast comes to a close Helgi declares his intent to see us all at the battle in the morning and he is gone. All that is left is for me to show Percy to his rooms, then I can finally go home. It’s weird that I won’t have valkyrie duties anymore but it is a relief to have this chapter of my life close. I can now focus on my life with Amir. 

The Feast Hall of the Slain begins to empty and I turn to Percy to ask him if he is ready to leave. He seems to rip himself away from his thoughts when he says, “You’ve got somewhere to be, don’t you?”

It’s honestly a little more insightful than I had come to expect from the Greek demigod. I also can’t help but wonder what Id done to give myself away. 

“Yes.” I admit. “This is my last feast and I should head home. But, I can take you up to your floor first, so that you do not get lost.”

Honestly, it would be good to see the inhabitants of Floor 19 one last time. Not that I will never see them again. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mangus turned up at Faldin's tomorrow for lunch. As long as he wasn’t working on this thing with Percy, of course.

“It’s fine.” Percy says. “I don’t really need it, and it’s nice here. I could sit and do some thinking, if that’s okay.”

There’s not technically anything wrong with that. “Alright, I say. Well, then, good luck on your quest Percy.”

He nods, but he is already concentrating on all the things he had to think about. When I leave the Feast Hall of the Slain my Valkyrie sisters surround me to tell me goodbye. Even Alex is there, waiting to give me a hug and see me out of Valhalla once my friends are done saying goodbye.

As we leave Alex starts watching me curiously. 

“What’s up?” I find myself asking. I’d actually wanted to talk to my sister. As much as I hated putting her in danger somebody needed to stay with Hazel, Walt, and Nico. I couldn’t leave knowing I had made that oversight.

“Well I was hoping you’d tell me how to contact your friends you mysteriously runaway to New York to talk to every few months.” Alex says like she’s asking when she can come have falafel. “It seems like something somebody should be handling."

How did she know?

“That’s a very dangerous meeting.” I find myself saying even though it’s exactly what I want. “The gods could literally strike us all dead for it at any moment.”

Alex shrugs like I’d threatened her with dusting the hall or something. “It’s no problem, things around here are boring anyways. And if your friends are from all the places I think they’re from that will make things much more interesting. You can catch me up on exactly what’s going on next time we have lunch. I know you need to get home. ” 

I nod. “Okay.” I find myself agreeing, “I’ll let you know the next time Nico says they’re meeting.”

“Cool.” Alex says and leaves me to find my own way out of the courtyard. But I’m okay with that, it’s a journey I’ve almost always made alone and I’m glad it’s the same for the last time too. 

It is a relief when my feet land on the solid ground surrounding the ducks. A chapter of my life that has needed to close for a while now. I will miss Valhalla, but it is time to focus on home and flying. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it! Hope you all are enjoying this story. Heads up that the next chapter is is going to be sad. 
> 
> I'm working on an unexpectedly large mini project... I mean it's me guys... I don't know how to do short fic any more. I tell Lt.ReginaBarclay "I've had an idea for a short fic." And she's like "Oh, how long will this one one be?" And I'm like "Only 10k." And she's like "I don't know if we should discuss the fact that you think 10k can be led by the word only or the fact that we both know that's a lie." 
> 
> Anyhow the point being. Send me your ships please!!! As long as it's not perspectived cannon (Frazel, Percabeth, Jasper, Solangelo) I don't care. I need 100 of them and I only have 40 so let me know what you'd like to see a bit of writing on.


	7. Mangus

# Magnus

## Life Sucks and Then You... Wait, We're Already Dead

**[ _ Can't Help Falling in Love _ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sQeQC4hT10) [ by Ingrid Michaleson ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sQeQC4hT10)**

I look for Percy after his first feast. Though we’ve only met once, I owe it to him to check in. There is also the issue with Annabeth. 

I suspect no one told him her good news. He’s not sad enough to know. Which is really depressing, since happy is not the word to come to mind when I think of Percy Jackson.

Charming, sure. Sassy as they came, undoubtedly. He is definitely the top jokester and caring to his core. I knew better than to confuse those things with happy.

Really, the whole situation is messed up and I’m an expert in messed up. I fight mythical monsters every day. I’m even used to dead people not actually being dead. I live that reality. 

Still, Percy’s particular brand of not dead and what it means for him and my favorite family member is upsetting. Someone needs to intervene before they accidentally meet.

I wait for Percy in the corridor for awhile, but he never exits. I’d seen all the other newly dead leave and still there was no Percy. Sighing, I slip into the feast hall of the slain to look for him. The big doors are never fully closed, so it’s easy enough.

It doesn’t matter how many times I go in here, the feast hall of the slain is always visually overwhelming. Even when it’s empty.

That’s why I don’t see Percy at first, though he hasn’t moved from his spot. He’s sitting staring off into the distance with a serious thousand yard stare.

I’d seen this back in my old life on the street. Veterans that left part of themselves behind when they came home got that expression. It was painful to see on a guy a few years older than me. Then, with all Annabeth told me about Percy and the updates Sam gave me, I wasn’t surprised.

I sit near Percy at the guest table, leaving him space if he startled out of his trance violently. As I wait for Percy to come out of it on his own I look around.

It’s weird being in the feast hall when no one else is. Excluding some of the creatures that inhabit The Tree of Laeradr there isn’t any noise. You could hear a pin drop in the nosebleed section.

Percy comes back to the present with a shaky inhale, but when he looks at me I get the feeling I’m not totally dealing with Percy. Sam warned me about the god that was somehow working with Percy, but it’d been more confusing than helpful. She’d ultimately decided I needed to talk to Walt, whoever that was.

“It’s cool man. Take your time.” I tell him calmly. Chatter probably won’t make Percy kill me and it will give him something else to focus on. I nod towards The Tree of Laeradr. “I’m just enjoying the view.”

Percy both tenses and smiles at my statement. The bizarre gesture makes me realize I am in way over my head. He shakes his head a little and smiles. His smile has only a fraction of the warmth I remember from the kid I met years ago.

“Sorry.” Percy says slowly. “I was just thinking about everything. You’re Magnus right? We’ve met once.”

“Yeah.” I shrug self deprecatingly. I know I can count on Jackson to appreciate such humor. I think he could use a little humor, like a thousand years worth at least. I won’t be able to give him that but I’ll do what I can. “The lamer of the Chase cousins. That’s me.”

The other demigod shakes his head laughing. “You’re not lame, it’s just Annabeth is Annabeth.”

I will never know what I did to give it away, but somehow I do. The moment of happiness slides from Percy’s face like a landslide. He sounds sick with worry when he says, “What’s wrong with Annabeth?”

His eyes have flown to mine. They’re suddenly too intense. I raise my hands in surrender like he might attack. “She’s fine.” I find promise in a rush. “More than fine, she’s engaged.”

Sometimes I wish I could take words back. Just snatch them out of the air, wad them up into a little ball like a poorly written letter, and throw them in the trash like they never happened. This is not how I meant to break the news.

Jackson's expression makes me feel like I’ve kicked a puppy. Silence stretches between us awkward and long. What’s worse, I can’t fix it. How do you make someone who has lost everything feel better?

From experience, I know you can’t. The best you can do is exist with them in the misery so at least they aren’t alone.

Percy inhales a little shakily and then like he flipped some kind of internal switch he smiles. It’s a radiant but completely fake smile. I hate that my words put it there.

“She’s happy?” He asks with more self-assurance and compassion than I think I could have pulled together. “He’s good to her?”

“Um, yeah.” I say. I remember all too late that talking to Jackson tends to throw you off balance. His mood changes without warning, like the sea in some ways.

Percy nods. “She probably wouldn’t want to see me.” He says. I almost believe the upbeat taking it well act. I would if Annabeth didn’t used to complain to me about how Percy drove her nuts when he did this.

I’m not in a position to push. So, instead I aim for honesty. “I don’t know for sure. I think you probably should see her. Your prophecy implied that you’ll have to spend time with people from your old life still and it’s probably best if you talk to her before other people get involved.”

I can’t imagine how Annabeth is going to feel about this. It’s one thing to find out your recently killed cousin is still around. Completely another to find out that your long dead soulmate isn’t so dead after all.

Percy sighs and that thousand-yard stare comes back into his eyes a bit. I’m afraid I’ve said something to cause it but it doesn’t last long. 

“You’re right.” He finally says and I get the feeling he’s not completely talking to me. Then he looks at me and I think I must have imagined it. “Are you still in contact with her Magnus?”

I scratch the back of my neck. This is where it’s totally going to look like I set all of this up. I mean, I sort of did but I still didn’t want hurt to Percy’s feelings or something. “I’m supposed to meet her tonight if you want to come with me?”

“When?” Percy cocks his head to the side curiously that reminds me intensely of Annabeth. I’m unsurprised they picked up each other's mannerisms over the years. It still makes me sad.

“Pretty much now.”

Percy steels himself and nods getting off the bench as he speaks. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

I find myself following Percy out of the Feast Hall of the Slain and into Valhalla's ornate halls. He lets me lead the way to the elevators but once we hit floor nineteen it is clear Percy knows where he’s going.

“Take this route to Fenway Park often?” I find myself asking. 

Jackson cringes and mutters something unkind about the Red Sox. Before I can reply he smirks at me and says “I may have followed you out my first night here.” The words are said like he’s admitting to a harmless prank. I see why Annabeth liked this guy. I also see why she often wanted to kill him. 

“Dude, the floor was on lockdown for a month.” I complain. To be fair floors in Valhalla get put on lockdown regularly. Sometimes the Thanes just forget to raise the restrictions for a while.

“Which month long lockdown are you complaining about this time, Magnus?” Halfborn’s voice rumbles from behind me. I glance over my shoulder to see my favorite hall mates following us. I wasn’t sure when that had happened but Jackson isn’t surprised by their presence. I add good hearing to the ever growing list of things he can do.

He is clearly sizing my friends up. It is sad that everything is a potential fight to this kid.

Alex winks at me and waves her pinky coyly. It looks like flirting because it sort of is, but it’s also code. I can’t help but smile at her in thanks because apparently out hallmates are on to us and don’t think Percy should be leaving again, even with Odin’s proclamation.

“Where are you headed to?” Mallory adds with faux curiosity. “You already passed Percy’s room.”

Even with Alex’s warning I’m not sure how to answer without starting an argument, which will lead to a fight, and probably someone dying. They’ll get better, but I’d rather avoid the whole thing.

“Just some stuff.” Percy replies before I can come up with a good excuse. “You know official business of the gods or whatever. It’s boring, you wouldn’t want to come.”

Mallory scoffs. “You’re newly dead. Even if you’re under prophecy, what business could Odin have you attending too?”

Percy shrugs, nonchalance that screams warning. Alex and T.J. stiffen like they see it too.

“Not really your business, sorry.” Percy says turning away and heading in the direction of the chute.

Of course that makes Halfborn slide in front of him. When Halfborn wants to his large mass can make a hallway impassable with ease. “It is impressive that you got out of here on your first day. Many try and all fail. You must be a very skilled warrior and I will be honored to fight with you, but I can’t let you go.” Our resident Berserker says in that friendly tone of voice that means we are all going to die, again.

Thank the gods for T.J. My gods, I’m not thanking any of the other pantheons, I don’t know them.

“Okay.” T.J. says in his calmest voice. “Let’s try not to have a massacre in the hall, Halfborn.”

Knowing helping newly dead settle in is important to T.J., I can see where this is going. He’ll compliment Percy, encourage him to come have dessert with the group, produce something delicious from god knows where. Not even Jackson will be able to tell him no.

I need to think of a way to convince my hallmates to let us go. Percy needs to talk with Annabeth before someone else breaks her heart over this. Maybe if I convince them that Percy needs closure from his old life to stay?

As I think things get worse and weirder. 

“I don’t have time for this.” Percy says rolling up his sleeves. I’m pretty sure he’s planning to fight his way through my friends. “Move. I won’t ask again.”

He throws his arm out as he talks gesturing for Halfborn to move aside. The Berserker doesn’t of course.

Before Percy can start something T.J. interrupts. “Where’d you get that tattoo?”

“If you know about it, you know where it comes from.” Percy replies ambiguously. It’s to T.J’s credit that Percy has temporarily decided to not fight everybody.

We all look at T.J. like he’s crazy and then at the tattoo in question. There’s definitely something on Percy’s arm. If I look carefully, I can see a vague symbol. The Mist is blocking my ability to see it properly. The frowns from my hallmates indicate they are having the same difficulties.

The Mist doesn’t seem to be a problem for T.J. or maybe he just knows what these things are because he frowns in distaste. “You union or confederate?” T.J. asks looking concerned.

Everyone still looks confused and I can’t really blame them. T.J. normally doesn’t care if you were born in the modern day south. This conversation just took a major turn and I’m pretty sure only T.J. and Percy know what’s going on.

“Wars over.” Percy replies brushing his plain orange T-shirt that I know is supposed to have the symbol of a Pegasus on it.

“I can see that.” T.J. says still looking thoughtful. “When you say you’re handling something for the gods, which ones do you mean?”

“All of them.” Percy says stressing the word all.

“Right.” T.J. says. He’s chewing on the inside of his cheek like he does before he tells us to take the hill during training. “It’s for a quest?”

Percy’s getting frustrated with all the questioning. “I’m getting things together for the prophecy, yes.” He snaps in a tone that clearly says we’re wasting his time.

T.J. nods. “Alright.” Then he turns to the rest of the group. “As the hall strategist.”

“Who made you strategist.” Mallory demands.

Alex steps on her foot, hard. Mallory squawks indignantly and Alex says, “Whoops, my bad.”

“Fine as the only one who actually has a clue as to what’s going on and who Percy is,” T.J. amends. I almost say that I think I know Percy better than T.J. but think better of it. That won’t help us get out of here. “I’m suggesting that we let them go and pray Percy never needs our help.”

Halfborn frowns but doesn’t move. “You think a prophecy like that is playing out already? It was only a fragment.”

T.J. nods. “I guarantee Percy is the main player too. Let him do his thing, Halfborn.”

Halfborn sighs. “Fine but if we get put on lockdown for another month I’m blaming you.”

“Here, here!” Mallory cheers, her hand wrapping around Halfborn’s.

I can hardly believe they’re letting us go. Nobody wants to be put on hall wide lockdown for a month. It gets boring so fast.

“Thanks.” Percy says and starts heading down the hall. “Magnus you coming?”

“Coming.” I reply but T.J. grabs my sleeve.

“Don’t get in too deep.” My friend warns. “This type of thing is what got me killed.”

“We aren’t doing anything dangerous.” I try to reassure him.

T.J. shakes his head. “Yet. Look, just, when it get’s bad let me help? You’re both too pretty to get killed.”

That comment raises so many questions but T.J. is already leading the hall away. “He’s right you know.” Alex says bumping shoulder with me hard enough to knock me off balance but not enough to hurt. She’s gone before I can say ow. Sometimes I don’t think I’ll ever get Alex. I’m oddly okay with that.

“Magnus!” Percy calls from around the corner. “Stop staring at your girlfriend and come on!”

I am obligated to catch up and correct that assumption. Percy has somehow gotten it in his kelp filled brain that I have a thing for Alex. It’s imperative that he drop the idea before Alex finds out. 

We spend the entire trip to Faldan’s Falafel bickering.

As we get closer to the Transportation Building Percy finally starts to lay off. I’m not fooled for a second that he’s dropped the idea. He probably senses that we’re close to our destination.

“So where are we meeting Annabeth?” Percy asks as if to confirm my suspicions.

“The Falafel place we first met at.” I know Percy remembers that time he’d given me advice on an ocean quest. He’d gotten secondhand excited about it, even though he’d sworn off questing at the time. 

“Cool.”

It occurs to me that this isn’t something we can just dump on my cousin. It’d be cruel. “Look maybe I should give Annabeth a heads up before you just pop up?”

Percy nods. “That makes sense.” His face says he’s cool, but something in his voice makes me think he’s worried Annabeth won’t want to see him. I wish I could tell him it will be okay.

It’s not that I think Annabeth is happy that Percy is gone. We’re still about to turn her entire world upside down and I can’t expect that to make her happy.

Luckily, I don’t have to think too hard about it because we’ve reached the food court. Percy freezes. Every muscle tense with alertness as he sees Annabeth for the first time.

She’s talking to Amir about something, brushing tendrils of long curly hair out of her face. A heavy book bag that makes me so glad I didn’t live long enough to try college slung over her shoulder. Amir says something with a grin and Annabeth laughs.

I’m not entirely convinced Percy is breathing.

She can’t see us, yet. We’ve not stepped into the food court, though we’re just outside the falafel stand. 

“Wow.” Percy exhales. “She’s-”

“Okay.” I whisper interrupting that train of thought and pulling Percy back to reality. “You stay here for a second and I’ll tell her what’s going on.”

Then before Percy can back out, because he seriously looks like a guy regretting every decision he’s ever made, I walk into the food court.

“There he is now!” Amir says waving from the counter he’d been cleaning. White rag flopping in the air like a sloppy surrender.

Annabeth turns to look at me and grins. “Magnus! We were just talking about you.”

“That’s never a good thing.” I say awkwardly. I know I must look guilty as Helheim.

“Annabeth was saying she may have found a way for you to come to her wedding.” Amir interjects. He’s looking at me over my cousin's shoulder with a raised eyebrow. Even he can tell somethings up.

“That’s great!” I say with false enthusiasm. I know I’m being dramatic but part of me thinks Annabeth won’t want me to come once I introduce her to her dead ex.

“Magnus?” Annabeth says, finally picking up that something isn’t right. “Are you okay?”

I nod distractedly and turn to Amir with a blinding grin that he will totally see through. “Amir, buddy, could I get a moment alone with my cousin, please?”

Amir nods as if he was expecting something like this. I half wonder if Sam has told him. It wouldn’t be a surprise really, they are married after all. “Of course, I need to clean out the fryer anyways.”

He quickly disappears into the kitchen.

“Magnus, what’s wrong?” Annabeth says, a lot more demanding than last time. “Is there monster trouble? Can I help?”

I hold up my hands much like I had earlier with Percy. Was being surprisingly forceful when worried a greek thing? “No. No. Nothing like that.”

Annabeth frowns and crosses her arms across her chest. “Then what? You’re freaking me out.”

“I’ve brought someone I want you to talk to.” I say barely resisting the urge to pull at the neck of my shirt. I wonder how Percy is feeling if I’m this close to having a mental breakdown.

“Okay.” Annabeth says giving me a weird look, calculating almost. Like I’m presenting her a puzzle with a time limit. She clearly doesn’t get it but I haven’t given her much to go by.

“It’s not an easy conversation.” I explain but find myself distracted by my cousin's blinding grin. Why is Annabeth grinning like that? This isn’t a happy conversation.

“Oh Magnus!” She exclaims lunging forward and excitedly grabbing my hands. “Don’t be so dramatic. Of course I want to meet Alex.”

My startled sputtering is very attractive, thank you very much. However, it is not loud enough to quite drown out the bark of laughter that comes from just outside.

Annabeth goes white.

“It’s not Alex, Annabeth.” I say probably unnecessarily. My cousin’s grip tightens on mine like I’m the only thing grounding her right now. I become intensely aware of my environment like when I’m in the middle of battle.

There’s the squeak of rubber on tile behind me, a self-conscious little cough. “So this probably isn’t how you were expecting your night to go.” Percy’s voice says.

Annabeth’s grip gets impossibly tighter as she gasps and breaths Percy’s name.

“Yeah, Wisegirl.” Percy says. Looking over my shoulder I see a sad little smirk pulling up the corner of his mouth. I feel like I’m invading something intensely private. I can’t get away though because Annabeth’s nails are literally digging into my hands. Ow.

“Annabeth?” I ask cautiously because I’m fairly certain she’s going into shock. I want to reach out with my power and help however I can but Annabeth wouldn’t appreciate it.

She breathes shakily, still staring in shock at her dead ex-boyfriend.

“Percy?” She asks, and I realize that I am having the rare privilege of witnessing my cousin struck completely speechless.

Percy comes closer looking like he wants to reach out but isn’t sure he’s allowed. “Yeah, it’s me Annabeth.” Percy says. “The story of how I got here’s a bit crazy, but I’m here.”

Annabeth laughs just on the wrong side of hysterical. “This all feels a bit crazy.” She admits.

Percy shrugs like he’s saying he can’t argue there. I realize that however this goes we probably shouldn’t be standing awkwardly with Annabeth holding my hands in a death grip.

“How about we go sit and talk?” I offer. “Percy can explain. I, uh, already told him about your fiancé.”

Annabeth blinks almost owlishly for a moment and then says, “Oh.” Her eyes flying to Percy as if she doesn’t know how he’ll react. I know he’s already done all the reacting he’s going to do in front of us.

I really don’t want to be here for this, but Percy doesn’t get into it. He just shrugs and says, “I’m glad you’re happy, Wise Girl.”

This guy was great at taking one for the team. I begin wonder how he’d lived as long as he did. He was clearly the kind to throw himself in front of sharp swords so someone else wouldn’t get cut.

Tired of standing awkwardly I lead our group to a table. Annabeth and Percy follow. The uncomfortable silence hanging between them is thick.

Once we’ve sat, Annabeth seems to decide that somebody needs to say something. “So did Nico bring you back?”

Percy shakes his head, that smirk that really wants to be a smile gracing his face again. “No. And don’t mention that you had the idea to him. He nearly killed Jason when he suggested it yesterday.”

“I heard Nico was miffed at him.” Annabeth says distantly but Percy looks startled.

“You didn’t hear the details?”

Annabeth shakes her head. “I don’t talk to the others much these days. I’ve been going to school for my masters and working on the wedding.” She says like it’s obvious. “Honestly I’ve left demigoding behind.”

Percy is quiet for a very long time.

“Percy?” Annabeth says once the thoughtful silence has gotten to be too much. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No.” Percy says. “No. I’m glad you were able to build a life outside of all the stuff. I just don’t want to be responsible for pulling you back in.”

Now it’s Annabeth’s turn to think. Admittedly it took her about two seconds to connect the dots. “Whatever happened to you has to do with how quiet it’s been, doesn’t it?”

Percy nods, opens his mouth, shuts it again. Opens. Shuts. Clearly he’s struggling with a how to explain without making Annabeth feel obligated to be involved again.

Annabeth has that intent expression that means she’s about to dive into questioning when her phone rings.

“This is Annabeth.” She says picking up on the third ring.

The person on the other end says something and Annabeth says, “Sadie? No, I’m not in New York right now.”

Then, “Well, can you call Carter or one of your people?”

And, “We don’t have trolls in our mythology.”

We do. I think but don’t say. Why would one of Annabeth’s friends be getting chased by a troll? What Mythology were they dealing with now?

Percy grabs the phone out of her hands when she says, “No, Sadie, there’s no way for those creatures to reproduce together. They’re from different pantheons.”

“Sadie? Hi, it’s Percy. Yes I’m sure you’re very surprised to speak with me.”

Sadie probably says something along the lines of what the Helheim because Percy shakes his head again.

“No, there’s no time to explain. No you shouldn’t fight that on your own. Look, tell me where you are and I’ll get there as soon as I can.” 

There’s a pause while Sadie probably says ‘I’m in New York you bag fish’. 

“Alright.” He replies when Sadie is done talking, “Try to find a defensible position. Okay see you in a second.”

By the time Percy ends the call, Annabeth has finished digging through her backpack and is holding out what looks like an onyx whistle.

I have no idea what it is but Percy is already reaching for it.

“Fastest way to get there.” Annabeth says handing the whistle over. “She’ll be delighted to have found you.”

I wonder who they’re talking about.

Percy blows the whistle and it shatters in his hand. A moment later there’s a very large very excited dog trying to eat Percy like an icecream cone. At least that’s what it looks like.

“Mrs. Oleary, sit!” Percy says so sternly that I can see the battle leader he once was. The dog obeys with a whine and Percy moves to climb on her back. Even with the clearly emergency situation he takes a moment to scratch behind the dog's ear and praise her.

“Be careful!” Annabeth yells as Percy somehow directs the dog to stand with his knees.

“That’s my middle name!” Percy yells down at us. The dog is seriously that big.

The last thing I imagine Percy hears as he fades into shadow is my cousin yelling, “I thought it was Seaweed Brain!” Great parting words. Exactly what you want to hear before battle.

I’m not really able to wish the guy luck or anything because I’m busy staring at the completely benign shadow he’d been in moments ago. How did he do that?

When I finally shake myself of my shock, it’s to find Annabeth staring at me intently. If I was her enemy and she was looking at me that way I’d surrender immediately.

“Tell me everything you know, Magnus.” Annabeth demands. So, I do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed your extra chapter this month! And Happy St. Patrick's Day. (She says after, like, the world's saddest chapter.) 
> 
> Don't forget to send me your ships!!!


	8. Sadie

# Sadie

## Troll Dolls Are Still Uglier

**[ _ This Kid is Not Alright _ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRIx1CP0Lrk%22) [ by AWOL Nation ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRIx1CP0Lrk)**

Puddles splash under my feet as I run through Central Park. The smooth slide of water under my feet nearly makes me slip. On top of the ugly monster chasing me it’s raining. I hate the rain.

As soon as Percy arrives I am going to be undoubtedly grateful for all the water. It will allow him to save my behind, but right now I hate it. Focusing on my hate for the frankly disgusting muddy water helps me detached from reality. There’s a truly hideous beast chasing me. The water keeps me from fixating on the fact that I can’t seem to contact any of my family.

Mostly it’s this things ugly faces I need a distraction from. Monsters are always hideous which at least makes them easier to kill. This one takes the cake though. 

In some ways it resembles a Serpopard. It has the sleek leopard body, the long serpentine neck. Or rather, necks, like one of the Greek Hydras because this thing is clearly not normal. Then there’s the grotesque troll heads that sit on top of each long neck. Whoever crafted it has no tastes. At least the heads’ hair is your typical matted grey and brown kind of gross, instead of garishly bright and standing straight up.

I am trying to follow Percy’s advice and find a defensible position. There just doesn’t seem to be one where I’m at. Of course, that could be because the things necks seem to be able to get between everything and the jaguar body makes it fast. 

I dodge behind yet another tree and check over my shoulder. Of course, the thing is still right behind me. I step forward to run behind a trash bin and slip once again. This time sliding towards the monster. I admit I may have shrieked a little.

Of course there’s only one spell word that comes to mind when I’m in these situations. “Ha-di”.

I already know that it won’t explode the monster, which is annoying since when I’m desperate I can explode pretty much anything I want. I aim my words at the trashcan the thing is crouched next to instead hoping maybe it will die of shrapnel.

The trashcan explodes and one head is severed by jagged metal, which is a victory I guess. If two more didn’t grow back in its place. Now they’re all grumbling at me like cranky pipes. I back up slipping on yet another puddle. Right when I think I’m going to lose my balance the sliding stops and I’m standing on dry concrete.

A moment later a jagged spear of ice flies towards the juncture at the neck where all the heads meet. With the agility of a leopard the monster dodges to the left meaning it doesn’t die but I’m still deliriously happy. I probably won’t die now.

Out of the darkness Percy slides towards me on the puddles like he’s skim boarding. I’ve seriously never been so happy to see someone I’ve mentally marked as extremely dangerous. I could give Percy a hug if he weren’t a little busy saving my hide. That’s when I realize he’s still eighteen, exactly my age. It’s strange but I don’t have time to dwell on it.

“I need you to distract it.” Percy says already transforming his trusty pen to a sword. I’ve always wanted to have him do that when we weren’t about to die. See if I could figure out how it works, but right now it’s Percy who has my attention.

There’s something about him that makes me look twice. Something familiar and yet completely foreign about the way he acts and looks. I’m fairly certain it doesn’t come from being dead, either. I frown.

“Yeah, I know.” Percy agrees. “I can explain, but can we worry about it when that thing is back in the Gap?”

I figure the Gap is what the Greeks call the Sea of Chaos, though it only makes me think of the clothing brand. All the trolls yell as the thing charges us, so I don’t so much agree as point my wand at it and murmur “Mar.”

The troll heads freeze for a moment, retching on nothing. I’m surprised the spell worked at all, but it only lasts a second. I don’t know why but magic simply doesn’t work on these things.

Percy though takes full advantage of the things distraction. Using his skimboarding trick to gain momentum he flies at the creature and swings riptide with all the considerable force he can muster shouting “Stahp.” The word for sever, I wonder where he’d learned that.

Sometimes killing monsters is dramatic and hard work. Sometimes it involves fights that take hours and leave you feeling tired to your bones, to your soul. Sometimes they are entirely anti-climactic. This fight was certainly the later.

Percy severs the heads at the base in one incredibly forceful, magic powered sweep of his arm. Before they can begin to grow back I say “A’max.” The neck doesn’t burn quite like I expect, it’s almost like the wound boils closed. It makes me think Percy is interfering with my spell in some way.

An instant later the monster blows apart in a mess of sand and golden dust. Percy and I are left standing alone in the park in the middle of the night.

"So, you’re alive.” I find myself saying. I mean, what else do you say to not so dead, dead guy? It’s not like Walt who lives on the perpetual cusp of death thanks to help from Anubis. Percy is actually dead, I know. I lurked in the back at his public memorial.

“Yeah.” Percy says. “Long story, honestly I’m surprised that guy Walt-”

Percy then proceeds to do the most aggravating thing possible and stop speaking entirely. His eyes are wide and he staring down at his sword in open shock. 

If Percy doesn’t say what he expected my boyfriend to do in the next minute we’re going to have trouble. Still Percy doesn’t so much as move. I do the sensible thing and look down myself.

I gasp with alarm when I see what Percy is seeing. The easiest way to put it is that Percy’s trusty sword is in ruins. I don’t know what was in the monster's blood but it eroded the celestial bronze in several places.

There are holes I can see through. The edges are dulled and chipped. The sword looks like the three thousand year old relic Percy once told me it was.

For some odd reason the blade is also shaking. A ragged breath makes me look at Percy only to realize that it wasn’t the sword that was shaking but it’s wielder.

“What happened to it?” I ask dumbly. Like it isn’t obvious that the monster was getting it’s last grumbly laugh in.

Percy doesn’t really respond but to look at me blankly and shake. It’s freaky and I feel completely helpless.

He’s going pale and I think maybe I should have him sit or something. I’m starting to freak out a little myself. Is he having some kind of episode

Luckily I don’t have to try to figure out what to do alone for long.

“Sadie!” Walt’s voice exclaims frantically from behind me. “Are you okay?”

I look to see him running up the path through the growing shadows between us.

“I’m okay.” I say but then I turn back to Percy. I don’t know what to do but I can’t make him feel alone.

As soon as he notices Percy, I expect Walt to try to help. It’s very strongly not in his nature to let someone hurt and while I have no idea what’s wrong with Percy it’s very clear he’s hurting. Instead, he calls out to someone over his shoulder. “Hey, something’s up with Jackson.” 

Naturally I look at the newcomer too. Clearly it’s someone Walt expects to know Percy and know how to help. Which, why does Walt know Percy.

Then I catch sight of the guy. For a moment I think that Anubis is with him. Well, with him more than normal. The guy that seems to appear between shadows of the tree is tall and pale with dark hair and dark eyes. He’s nearly as hot as Anubis. However, a second look tells me he’s not Anubis but someone else.

He may be hot but he’s also rude. He completely ignores us in favor of going directly to Percy.

"Perce?" He says softly and then starts talking in a language I can’t speak but strongly suspect is Ancient Greek. 

Whatever he says gets a hesitant nod from Percy so I suspect that whatever is going on there it’s okay. I lead my boyfriend a little further away so we can talk and give them privacy. I make sure that I can still see Percy though. I’m not letting him go until he’s explained what’s going on.

“Who is that?” I ask Walt. I’m not really upset that Walt has a greek friend. I’m just upset that he had a greek friend without me. I ignore my long time friendship with Annabeth and Percy while he was alive. That’s different.

“A friend.” Walt says. He’s giving me a look that he knows I’m upset, knows why I’m upset, and isn’t going to apologize until I use my words.

"Does he have a name?” Those are in fact words.

“Yeah.” Walt says, “He’s called, why are you out here Sadie.”

That makes me snap and I hate it because I know Walt is goading me. Forcing me to get mad now so I can keep my head when the serious talking gets underway. With what I’ve seen so far, there will be lots of very serious talking. 

“What? You actually thought your little warning would cause me to do anything but try to find out what you know?” I laugh, and it’s not in a kind way.

As is typical Walt refrains from responding to my anger in kind. Instead, his face softens in understanding. “I should have told you instead of waiting for Carter to return from First Nome.” He admits. “But I knew things like that are out here and I didn’t want you getting attacked.”

Well, when he puts it like that he sounds unfairly reasonable. Before I can decide if I want to keep arguing or give into Walt’s persistent calm Not-Anubis interrupts.

“Hey guys.” He says awkwardly. It ruins the air of mystery that seemed to surround him a moment ago and makes him kind of adorable. 

I find myself hoping he’s really good friends with Walt so we can keep him. “I hate to interrupt your conversation but Percy says we need to get somewhere safe now. He seems to think that you’ve got a place.”

Walt is frowning at him now. “Is that a good idea? We’ve kept everything apart for a reason.”

“You’re the one who panicked and called me.” Not-Anubis replies moodily. 

Because they have known eachother long enough to exchange numbers. I decide that Walt is still in trouble and will have to deal with the consequence once the whole freaky hybrid monster thing existing problem is dealt with. What was with the Troll heads anyway?

Walt shrugs like the other guys point doesn’t really bother him. 

“I don’t think that will stand for much longer.” New guy says sighing, and then adds thoughtfully, “but I’ve got a quick way to get out as long as I know you guys are safe.”

“Take it.” Percy says and for a second it feels like he too came from the shadows. Percy looks wrecked. It was only a moment I wasn’t paying attention, but it looks like he’s been through an emotional hurricane. His friend, Not-Anubis, is frowning with an odd mixture of concern and exasperation.

“I can keep them safe.” Percy insists. “You get back to camp, Nico.”

Oh, so that’s his name. I decide it suits him.

“And what?” Nico argues. “Sit and hope you haven’t died again? No way.”

“Tell-” Percy pauses thoughtfully, clearly not wanting to reveal something. Finally he decides on, “Tell our teacher what’s going on. We’re going to need to prepare for what’s coming and I’d like his advice. I’ll call a meeting as soon as I can. If you can I’d like your help contacting people. We need a group like your little committee I met yesterday, but larger.”

The frown that comes across Nico’s face returns all the mystery tenfold. It’s honestly a little terrifying and Percy instantly responds by squaring his shoulder. I suddenly expect that if we let these two fight, like really fight, they could easily tear apart all of Central Park.

A loud “FREEEEAAAAAK!” temporarily breaks the tension between the two demigods. I’ve never been so grateful to hear a gryphon shriek as I am at this moment. 

A moment later Freak flies over head, Carter’s boat soaring behind. Freak lands with silent grace and the boat lands with equally loud commotion. My brother jumps out of the boat a moment before it lands saving himself a few bruises in the process. 

In adulthood Carter had grown to be tall and lean like our father. He smiled more easily than I remember our father being before Osiris took him to the Underworld. Though he acted like a total idiot far less of the time he still played basketball and loved bossing me around.

I’m fairly certain he’d be bossing me right now but Percy had distracted him. Carter looks at the demigods caught in a weird silent standoff and says, “I have so many questions.”

Percy and Nico ignore my brother entirely in favor of trying to stare eachother down. Finally Nico breaks eye contact looking the group over. Sighing he turns his attention back on Percy, “I’ll see you at your Mom’s when you’re done with them.”

He says it like he and Percy had come to some kind of verbal agreement, which as far as I know they hadn’t. Then he fades into the shadows as if he’d never been there at all.

“Sure! I’ll just contact you with my mind powers.” Percy growls sarcastically while kicking at the ground. 

At the same time Carter repeats, “So many questions.”

Percy takes a moment to glare angrily at the ground and then turns to Carter. He lets a small smile replace his furious frown and says, “And I have far fewer answers than you’re probably wanting, but first we have to get out of here.”

Carter looks like he isn’t sure what to do. Torn between trusting Percy due to an old history and trusting his instincts that clearly say something is fishy. I can understand that. Even I think something is fishy here, but I also know that Percy is probably right and we need to get out of here quickly.

“I’ll vouch for him, Carter.” Walt says unexpectedly. “He saved Sadie's life, and mine before that. He can tell you why it’s been so quiet. Percy is the reason it’s been so quiet.”

Carter frowns and I know he’s going to stall till we get eaten. “I don’t know. No offense Percy, but something's off about you.”

I really don’t want to get eaten. Deciding that I’m going back home even if my brother would prefer to sit and navel gaze about the divine being Percy is clearly hosting, I walk towards the boat. As I pass him I pat Carter on the shoulder. “Come on Carter. Let’s go home, we’ll sort things out when we get there.”

Still my brother hesitates.

Percy sighs rubbing the bridge of his nose like he’s trying to figure out what will convince my brother to get a move on. “It’s Nephthys, if that’s what you need to know. I’m also an undead viking warrior if that helps any.” 

“Not really.” Carter replies looking hilariously confused. I’m sure I’d be feeling something similar but my seraphod hydra thing had troll heads. Troll heads! I’ve maxed out my confusion quota for the evening. 

“Sure it does.” I say from where I’ve made myself comfortable in the boat. I am a little surprised to hear that Percy dared to attract such an important god, but now is not the time to argue it. “It tells you this is far bigger than a quick discussion and if you’re stalling gets us eaten I’ll kill you.”

That earns me a laugh from all three boys. “Yeah, okay.” Carter finally submits. He holds a hand out to Percy while Walt climbs into the boat. “It’s good to see you Percy, but when we get home I expect you to tell me everything.”

Percy responds to Carter's hand shake by pulling my startled brother into a hug. When he lets Carter go Percy says, “That’s why I’m here Carter, there’s a lot going on, but we need to get to safety first. These monsters are a piece of work and I’m kind of weaponless right now.”

“Then get in the boat.” I say moving to the bow so I can get Freak ready to go. I swear that I am the only one capable of getting anything done. 

The two boys climb in the boat and the last thing I hear before Freaks wings drown out everything is Carter asking Walt if the other guy had been Anubis. At least I’m not the only one who saw the resemblance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're back! April was a bad month and I'm trying to get my bearing in May but I'm back and I'm posting MOSTLY on schedule. yay! Sorry for any delays folks. Hope you enjoyed.


	9. Percy

# Percy

## No. No. Defini- Oh, Hi There

**[ _ Neptune _ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkCB4ATLCo0) [ by Sleeping at Last ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkCB4ATLCo0)**

For the record I am not a fan of flying AirFreak. The gryphon is difficult for Carter to control. Half of the time I’m futilely struggling to help him keep the air boat at an even keel. If I’m not, I’m worrying that Zeus is going to change his mind and smite me. Basically, I miss my pegasus and make a mental note to find Blackjack as soon as possible so I never have to do this again. 

Most of the trip to Brooklyn goes by in a kind of terror induced blur. Then Sadie taps my shoulder and shouts, “When we get closer we’re going to have to jump to that terrace. Do you see it?”

She points at the river which is drawing nearer by the second. It’s not that I have a problem jumping into a river. I’ve jumped into bodies of water from much greater heights and lived to tell the tale. It’s just that East River is kind of gross and I don’t really want to jump into that particular river. “No.”

“Look with Nephthys’ eyes.” Sadie encourages just as Carter yells, “Okay guys, we’re almost there. Get ready. When I say go, jump.”

Right as I’m sure that I’m going to crash into a dingy river I see it. A limestone mansion with a wrap around terrace sitting on top of a warehouse like a fat peacock sitting on top of a small scraggly tree. It’s at least five stories tall. On the terrace there’s a eating area, an area clearly intended for kids to be able to play games like hopscotch, a garden, and a fire pit. 

What catches my attention though is the pool. More importantly I see the still drawing closer albino crocodile. It’s crawling out of the water growling and hissing angrily. For some reason I think that I’m the one that’s agitated it so much.

“Go!” Carter yells.

My knees lock. I’m not jumping onto a terrace with a pissed off crocodile. Nope. Consider that plan rejected. In another moment I’ll take my chances with the East River. 

Unfortunately, Sadie has my back. She grabs my hand and pulls me off the boat with her. As we fall my battle instincts kick in and I manage to orient myself so that I land on my feet. That’s a good thing. It’s less good that I land directly in the path of a charging crocodile. 

I pull Riptide from my pocket and tear off the cap. I realize this thing is probably the Kane’s pet, but I’m not about to let it eat me. 

The ruins of my trusty sword extend, flaking as the transformation takes place. Bits of Riptides precious metal fall from the blade like glitter. Valuable moments are wasted because I can’t stop staring at the blade when I should be dodging. Luckily, Sadie actually has my back this time. 

“Phillip, no!” Sadie yells getting in front of me. I’d prefer that she had her wand or staff out as well, but she doesn’t. She’s just holding her hands out like she is trying to placate a spooked horse. “He’s a friend!”

The crocodile stops charging, but it crouches low growling and hissing angrily. I’m pretty sure it’s trying to lull us into a false sense of security before it eats me. 

Now Carter has caught on and is approaching. He at least has a stern look on his face, like the final fight with Setne. “Philip.” Carter says, “Back to the pool.”

Finally, Philip crawls back to the pool, growling and grumbling the whole time. He enters the water with a splash and turns as he sinks down into the cool blue water.

“Let’s go inside.” Sadie says like we didn’t nearly just get eaten by her pet reptile. As I’m led into the house Philip comes up just enough that his eyes are visible. He growls until we’re inside.

The house is amazing. Being a demigod I’ve been in higher class place, but not many. Most of the first floor is taken up by a giant living room. The Egyptians have the creepy statue of a patron god in the middle of the room thing going on, like in Cabin One. 

Still there’s an awesome huge fireplace, with an even cooler giant plasma T.V. hanging over it. Comfy couches that I would love to take an unplanned nap on and plenty of smaller areas to chat or play games or do whatever. To my left are a pair of huge carved doors that clearly lead somewhere important. 

“Well,” Sadie says taking off her jacket and brushing her clothes down like anything short of a shower will get rid of monster dust. “All that fighting and running has left me famished. Anyone fancy a snack before we get into the nitty gritty?”

“Can we do both?” I find myself asking. Maybe it’s from counselor meetings at camp, but I always feel better talking about the end of the world when there’s snacks.

“Sure.” Carter says. “I’d rather not delay this conversation anymore.”

We start to head to what I assume will be the kitchen when two girls come down the stairs. They’re talking to each other in low worried tones, not having noticed us yet.

They’re both gorgeous, though the one on the left is more my type. With golden blonde hair that curls down her back. She’s probably a year or so older than I am. When she notices our group on the ground floor I see that she has blue eyes. 

“Sadie!” She calls out rushing down the stairs. “Oh, thank the gods, you’re alright!”

The girl wraps Sadie in a warm hug and I suddenly I feel terrible for my train of thought. Here I am checking out a girl that looks a lot like my girlfriend and thinking she’s hot. I’m only wracked with guilt for a moment before I remember that Annabeth isn’t my girlfriend anymore. I can think anyone is hot if I want too. I don’t have to feel guilty about that. It only makes me feel worse. 

Then the other girl draws my attention by speaking and I have other issues to worry about. Mainly the sudden sense of of gut wrenching guilt I am feeling from Nephthys regarding the girl. Whose name I suddenly know.

Zia looks at me and then to Carter. “Who is your friend, Carter?”

I can’t get much more out of Nephthys regarding who the girl is, but I’d be willing to place money that she’s Carter’s girlfriend. 

“This is Percy.” Carter stammers nervously and I have to suppress a smile. I’d been there before. 

“Did we not go to a Percy’s funeral a few years ago?” she asks astutely. “I thought he looked familiar, but that wouldn’t be possible.”

I’m touched that Carter showed up to my funeral. I say as much. The look Carter gives me says, thanks a lot man, but not in a heartfelt way.

“Again, that is not possible.” Zia says now coming fully down the stairs. She’s staring at me intently and I want to hide a bit. Nephthys isn’t providing the usual courage assist either. She’s probably the only god I respect but she’s being a bit of a coward right now.

“Percy was just about to explain everything.” Carter says like a man hoping that helpfully providing information will keep him from being in trouble. 

Zia frowns and sits on one of the super comfy looking couches that I know I won’t be able to nap on for a very long time. “Then you should begin explaining. Who exactly are you?”

Mourning the loss of the kind of delicious snacks a place like this would have to offer I join the others in the sitting area. Everyone’s looking at me expectantly so I do the only thing that makes sense, I start my story. I skate over the details of being a demigod and how Carter and I met before diving into dying. Making sure only to mention that I spent a brief period as Praetor at the Roman camp.

I’ll give one thing to the Egyptians. They’re good listeners. I can see the whole group has questions. The blonde girl, Jaz, looks so sad for me. Carter and Sadie have questions. Walt is literally taking notes on details he’d missed the first time. When I tell about fighting the giant demon cyclops with Nephthys Zia looks like she wants to throw me out. But as I get to helping Walt and then Sadie she seems to change her mind.

I finish the story with, “Then we came here.”

Another thing I’ll give the Egyptians, they’re just as disciplined as Roman soldiers. I know the whole group is brimming with questions but they look to Carter to direct the conversation. 

Carter doesn’t look like he wants to direct the conversation very much. I try to urge him on with a raised eyebrow. I can’t make assumptions about what they need to know. Someone has to ask.

My friend sighs. “I don’t know what to say, Percy. I feel like I should be thanking you, but I don’t know where to start with our plan of action. What can we possibly do?”

Sadie rolls her eyes dramatically and gives the other girls in the room a look, like can you believe him. “It’s obvious to me. We’re going to have to meet Percy’s friends. We can strategize from there.”

“Nico is working on that.” I confirm, mainly looking to Walt since he’s the one that knows Nico. “I’ll know more when I meet up with him in the morning. I’m probably going to keep it to one or two people per pantheon though. It could get too big fast.”

They all nod like I’m making perfect sense, which is weird. I’m used to everyone questioning all my plans at every stage. It’s kind of nice, honestly, to have people hear me out and agree.

“Have him contact me when he knows when.” Walt says. “He knows how to get in touch.”

I nod and am hopeful that this means I get snacks.

“I still have questions.” Zia interrupts that train of thought before I can get too excited. 

“I’ll try to have answers.” I reply. I’d have more if Nephthys hadn’t come as close to fully withdrawing as she ever has. It has to do with Zia and when I get a chance I’m going to try to have a demigod dream. Hopefully I can actually talk to my patron goddess instead of seeing the random stuff I normally see when I dream. Because this hiding from some girl wasn’t going to fly in battle.

Zia takes a moment and says. “Swear to me you will answer my next two questions honestly.”

I don’t know why but something pushes me to say, “By my Troth.” I’m pretty sure it’s Nephthys and I get the feeling I may as well have said, by the Styx.

Hopefully she doesn’t ask anything too difficult.

“What do you intend to do with all the power you have amassed?” She asks. I can tell that she is wording it carefully but it’s just a dumb question to me. Isn’t it obvious with what I’ve been trying to do?

“I’m here to keep my family and friends safe.” I say perhaps a little more passionately than is expected, but that’s all I’ve ever wanted. “I want to stop the gods of chaos from ruining everybody’s life.” 

“Which brings us to my second question.” Zia says, her tone of voice and facial expression say she is completely unmoved by my answer, but in my head Nephthys is content. So, I haven’t done anything to piss off whoever is listening in on the conversation through Zia’s ears.

“Go for it.” I say keeping my tone casual. 

“What do you intend to do once this is over?” Zia asks in the exact same tone she asked the first question.

That one was a lot more difficult for me to answer. What did I intend to do once the fight was over? The fight was never over I thought. I’ll take down whatever new threat comes up, I thought. I didn’t want to ruin her illusion that there was an end to bad things trying to topple the gods. I fought to protect that illusion for others.

“I don’t know.” I answer honestly.

Zia hmmmm’s and I’m not sure if I answered the question wrong.

“Zia.” Carter says with a firm kind of patience. “Percy is the last person to go crazy and try to take over the world. He helped stop Setne. He actively rejected the power of Nekhbet during that fight. He’s not the threat here, nor is Nephthys. They don’t want power,I know you know that.”

I want to fist bump Carter for being a bro, but I figure that might look bad to the skeptical Zia. 

“I have to agree.” Zia says after a long moment that leaves me feeling as nervous as the times I’ve gone before Zeus to have my fate determined for me. I don’t know who Zia is but every instinct I have screams that she’s important in the grand scheme of the Egyptian gods.

“However, when this over there will have to be discussion on how to proceed. For now, I think the meeting idea is good. We need to know who our allies are.” 

The uncertain future should leave me scared. The door has been left wide open for one or all of the pantheons to decide to kill me when it’s all done. It’s not that I’m in favor of the idea, I’m just not against it either. I don’t know how to feel about that. Luckily I don’t have to dwell on it thanks to Sadie.

“Okay.” Sadie says clapping her hands together and standing. Walt untangles his arm from around her shoulder in a way that indicates he is used to sudden movements from his girlfriend. “Well, if we’re done being distressingly serious I’m getting snacks. Percy, are you still hungry?”

“I’m always hungry.” I say getting up to follow her towards the kitchen. Apparently the rest of the group decide to come with us. 

I find myself walking besides Jaz who is looking at me thoughtfully. Finally she comes to a decision. “Carter, we will need to get a room ready for Percy.” 

So, here’s where I prove everyone who has ever said I am dumb correct. A gorgeous girl wants me to stay the night, albeit in another room, and I say “Honestly, I should go home.”

“Oh.” Jaz says, managing to get an unimaginable amount of disappointment into one word. 

“You’re supposed get the details about meeting from Nico tonight, right?” Sadie says casually. I can’t tell if she’s purposely being a bro or just being herself but I’m grateful all the same. 

“Yeah.” I say. “And it’s really not difficult to get home. If my stepfather is still working, and he often works late during the week, it’s just down the road.”

“Where does your stepfather work.” Walt asks curiously.

“Goode.” I say and everyone’s eyes widen.

“I see you all are familiar with it.”

Carter and Sadie crack up. “All of us went to school there.” Sadie finally manages. “Except Carter, he was too cool for school.” 

“No one’s too cool for school.” I say and then blush with embarrassment. Paul used to say that all the time. Especially when I’d be frustrated with school work and say something like, “I’m the hero of Olympus if anyone is too cool for school it’s me!”

Walt chuckles from where he is munching on cheese and crackers and says, “Well, I suppose that tells us who your stepfather is.”

“I could see Mr. Blofis.” Jaz says suddenly. “I have a question he might be able to help with about something I’m reading in my English class.” 

“I’ll come too.” Walt says after a moment. “It’s really not safe out there alone right now.”

I’m a little disappointed. I’d like to get to know Jaz, I think. I’m not ready for like a relationship, I literally just found out about, everything. Still she seems nice.

But I also know that it’s not safe to be out there alone right now. After hanging out with me Jaz would be like a flare to the hybrids. It’s safer if Walt comes too.

Before long we finish our snacks. Blue stuffed Oreos are my new favorite thing, I wonder if I would be allowed to stock my room in Valhalla with them. Then Jaz, Walt, and I are off to Goode. 

Carter one upped me somehow and called the school, managing to get ahold of Paul to let him know I was coming. I’m positive he used some kind of magic to do it. It was a good thing too because Paul was about to head home. 

So we walk and we talk. I learn a lot about Jaz and Walt. The god Walt is most familiar with is Nephthys son. I learn that said god is basically keeping Walt alive and has been for nearly six years. I also learn that in his spare time Walt, he’s Carter’s seconds and has a lot of duties to The House of Life, is studying to become an engineer.

Jaz is Brooklyn’s house’s main healer, but The First Nome calls on her a lot too. She wants to be a doctor and spends half of her time studying at NYU. 

I tell them as much as I can about me, but what I am now acts as the giant elephant in the room. It’s hard to talk about myself when I’m not sure how much I am supposed to say about the other Pantheons. It doesn’t take us long to get to Goode though. 

Paul is already waiting for me by his Prius that was brand new when I died. It’s old now. Not that it’s in bad shape or anything, it’s just lost that brand new car shine.

“Percy.” Paul says giving me a hug like he hadn’t seen me yesterday. I guess thinking someone is dead will have that effect on you. “And you brought Jaz and Walt with you?” He adds curiously once he’s let me go.

“That’s one of those things where it’s better if you don’t ask.” I warn while Paul shakes Walt and Jaz’s hands.

“If you say so.” Paul agrees. “Still it’s nice to see some of my best students.” 

We stand in the parking lot and make small talk for a bit. Jaz asks Paul about the Iliad. Paul explains the official academic stances on it and then I try my best to explain why it’s all wrong. I’ve never actually read more of the book and then what was required to learn Ancient Greek though. So I’m not sure I made a lot of sense.

Paul did not approve when I finished with, “Look Achillies is a whiney baby that could have saved lives if he wasn’t so busy being dramatic.”

Then we’re bidding Walt and Jaz goodbye and Paul is unlocking the car so we can go home. 

“I hope you don’t mind stopping by the store on the way home, Percy.” Paul says once we’re situated and pulling out of the parking lot. 

I nod as he speaks, of course I don’t mind. After a day like today I’m just grateful for some normalcy. 

“Good.” Paul says seeing my agreement from the corner of his eye. “Apparently Nico decided to spend the night on the sofa, so we’re going to need more food.”


	10. Leo

# Leo

## I Hope There's Not Another Punchline

**[ _ Fallen _ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zo1_BvKa7A) [ by Imagine Dragons ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zo1_BvKa7A)**

After the feast celebrating the newly dead I head down to the front desk to have a chat with the manager. Since being dragged to Valhalla entirely against my will, I’d come to accept that it was better than living as a freaky immortal teenager at Camp Halfblood.

Apparently there was a surprise secret ingredient to the Physician's Cure. Milk from the goat Heidrun, that same stuff that Valhalla used to make mead. I don’t know how The Physician got it and to be honest I don’t really care. I do care about what it did to me though. Unfortunately, the milk has magical properties a lot like Nectar that made einherjar like they are. Drink it and you’re property of Odin, period.

Maybe I’m still a bit bitter. My flaming hot goddess girlfriend broke up with me when the Valkyrie came to collect me and it took me forever to feel like I fit in. At least the Thanes decided that I truly came upon the milk by accident and didn’t try to kill me. 

Still, I’m often bored here. There’s not Celestial Bronze to be had, much less Imperial Gold. Only Bone Steel, which isn’t a bad metal. It’s just, I’m dying to mix the two metals with Bone Steel. The alloy would be unspeakably powerful. You could do anything with it. Literally anything. 

Still, for the most part I’d come to accept my lot in life. It was a lonely life in Valhalla but literally smoking people during the daily battle was always fun. Learning to work with Bone Steel was interesting as well. Even if I didn’t get to make the super alloy I’ve always wanted. 

The days passed in a not quite dull enough to be mind numbing fashion. I was growing complacent.

So, you can imagine my shock when I saw Percy Jackson sitting at the table usually reserved for newly dead, because he was newly dead. Well, newly dead-ish, anyways. Did he accidentally drink magic goats milk too? 

Then the Norn’s came with their big freaky prophecy fragment and I knew what I had to do. 

I probably should have approached Percy first, but that Chase guy that I’ve been avoiding was hanging around. It’s not that Mangus didn’t seem cool. I just didn’t want him breaking my friends hearts when he accidentally let my existence slip to Annabeth. So, I’d been avoiding the dude. 

Instead of risking that interaction quiet yet, I decided to get to the front desk. I wasn’t leaving till they agreed to move me to Jackson’s floor. If Percy was questing he would need help, and well, I could use a lot of excitement in my life. Maybe I could steal some Celestial Bronze and Imperial Gold while we were out. 

Once I get through the crowds of people streaming towards the elevators, I find Helgi at the front desk. He’s working on some kind of paperwork. I’m relieved to see there isn’t really anyone in the lobby at this time of night. I may actually be able to get my way.

“I want to be moved to floor nineteen.” I say as soon as the hotel manager notices me. 

“No floor transfers.” Helgi says, looking back down at his papers so I know we’re done talking. Unfortunately, I’m not going to let that fly.

Threatening Helgi will not work and I’m not sure he’s someone I can bribe. But an advanced mix of two will either convince him or get me talking to whoever his higher up is. 

“Come on, can’t you at least hear me out?” I wheedle while I dig around in my tool belt for a specific item that I haven’t pulled out in years. 

“Look kid.” Helgi says looking sternly at me from behind his bushy mass of facial hair., “Everyone wants to be on floor nineteen. It’s the party floor. They always seem to be on some kind of quest of another. I get it. Still, the rules are no floor transfers.” 

Finally my hands close around my other coin purse. I pull it from my belt and drop it right on top of Helgi’s paper work with the string pulled loose. Just to maximize the drama of a whole pile of Drachma and Denarii spilling out all over the sheets of paper. 

“I need to transfer to floor nineteen.” I say again. Hoping that he does know who, or rather what, exactly Percy and I are. “I’m the answer to us all not falling, because Jackson is too thick to let people help him.” 

Helgi looks shocked, then he looks like he’s going to continue arguing with me. I get it, he’s the kind of guy that doesn’t like being told what to do. But I’m not going to let this end in any other way than me getting my way. Apparently Odin agrees.

Suddenly one of the giant Ravens soar over my shoulder and lands in the pile of ancient Greek and Roman coins. “Let him move.” It croaks before picking up a Drachma and Denarii for its trouble and taking to the air.

If I’m going to be questing I’m probably going to need those. On the other hand, the raven did just help me out, and you know it’s Odin’s favorite pet. I probably shouldn’t chase it down to get my money back.

Helgi looks a bit like he swallowed an entire large lemon. In a constricted voice he says, “Let me give you your new key card.”

Though I try my hardest to be friendly, I don’t think Helgi likes me very much by the end of the transaction. Maybe it’s because I decided against giving him my bribe. He doesn’t even offer to have Hunding show me to my new room. It’s cool though, I know where the elevator bank is.

The only thing that happens on my way up to floor nineteen is a continuation of the old internal debate. Is the elevator music more annoying in Valhalla or on the way to Olympus? My decision depends on the day.

It doesn’t take long to reach my destination or my new hall mates. They’re pretty much in a circle right by the elevator bank. They’re clearly interrogating a guy in a Union Army jacket. The hard line of his mouth tells me he’s not giving them the information they want. 

They are so intent on their discussion that they don’t notice when the doors open. Well, this will be fun. 

“Greetings Floor Nineteeners!” I say jovially. “I come in peace! Could someone tell me where I can find Percy Jackson’s room, please?” 

Maybe whatever they’re talking about is so important that they’ll point me in the right direction and carry on with it. 

Slowly the whole group turns their heads towards me. They’re staring at me like I actually did come from another planet. It makes me uncomfortable. 

While they process, I observe my surroundings. Floor nineteen looks just like floor twenty-five. The only difference is the color of the carpet. Theirs is blood red while my floors carpet was blue. I can’t really say ours, I wasn’t really on speaking terms with my hallmates. It seems like that’s about to change though. 

A moment later everyone starts speaking over the other. Now I’m the one getting interrogated. Union guy owes me one for getting him out of the interrogation. Helping his friends interrogate me doesn’t count.

“Who are you?” The redheaded girl asks. She is clearly not someone I want to mess with.

“You’re not on this floor. How did you get up here?” Her broad, and bare, chested boyfriend demands. I assume they’re dating, he’s got an arm slung around her shoulders casually and she doesn’t seem to mind. She seems like the type who would let you know if she wasn’t okay with it in the most bloody way possible.

“Aren’t you the guy that sets people on fire in battle?” Alex asks. I know who she is even though we’ve never actually met. Part of initiation to Valhalla is being warned about the Child of Loki. It’s dumb, I’ve always thought she looked cool enough. 

She’s the only one that looks happy that I’m here.

“How do you know Jackson?” Union guy asks cautiously. 

His question gets him a weird look from his hallmates. I have a feeling I have somehow stumbled on what they were interrogating him about a minute ago. I strongly suspect that I have just majorly stepped in it. 

I decide the best strategy is to answer all their questions and hopefully get them to answer my simple one without a hall debate.

“My names Leo. I am now your new hallmate, my door should be somewhere.” I lift my now flaming hand and grin at Alex. “I do set people and things on fire during battle, it’s kinda my thing. Percy and I knew each other when we were alive, and I need to talk to him about that prophecy.”

The redhead scoffs. “Why would you need to talk to him about what was clearly only a prophecy fragment.”

The shirtless dude rubs a soothing hand up and down her arm. I suspect that someone is jealous that she doesn’t have a prophecy, but that’s really not my problem. 

“Quests were sort of our thing.” I say trying to keep my tone oh shucks, instead of tell me where Jackson is right now. “So, where is he?”

“He left.” Union guys says. “So, you knew him and went on quests huh?”

I can tell he is leading up to something. It’s confirmed when the redhead, and really I need to learn these people's names, groans and says, “Oh, you’re going to ask what side of the Civil War he’s on aren’t you, T.J.”

That was the most random thing to say. But T.J. nods. “I mean if he actually knows Jackson, and Jackson wasn’t lying about the war being over it should be fine, but it won’t hurt to ask.”

“Ask what?” I say totally lost. But if Percy isn’t in I should take the opportunity to get to know my new hallmates. Maybe I’ll even learn their names!

“You North or South?” T.J. asks.

I can see where a dude wearing what is probably an authentic Union jacket would want to know that. But like just because I’m from Texas doesn’t mean I think that way.

“Um, South. But the war’s over.” I say. 

T.J. frowns, “You wear the North’s symbol though.” He nods towards my orange camp t-shirt then to my bare arm. “And you’re not marked for the Confederacy.”

At first I’m totally lost. Then I realize that T.J. is asking about something deeper than what part of the country I’m from. “Oh!” I say “You’re talking about being Greek, not what part of the country I’m from.”

“Greek?” Bare chested guy asks.

T.J. sighs like he’s dealt with Greek demigods a lot in the past and he’s just kind of tired of us.

Luckily for me that’s when that Magnus guy walks in. I was hoping Percy would be with him but apparently he’d decided to stay in Midgard again.

“Did I just hear someone say they’re Greek?” Magnus says coming around the corner. I know the guy’s seen me before in battle, generally I’m running in the other direction so I don’t have to talk to him. But, he’s seen me and he knows what my thing is.

I find myself on the receiving end of a very familiar calculating look, followed by, “You’re Annabeth’s fire starter friend aren’t you.” He says. It’s clearly a statement not a question. 

I’d been called worse so I agree.

“What in all the nine realms is going on?” The shirtless guy demands. 

I feel bad for Magnus’s hallmates. I have a feeling that they put up with just going with Greek comings and goings a lot and that it’s going to get worse. 

“Look, we’re not really supposed to tell you.” I find myself saying. “It’s more dangerous than me touching your non existent cotton shirt when my hands are lit. But, there are more pantheons than just yours. Me? I’m a Greek demigod. So is Percy. If you have any other questions I’m not answering them.”

The poor guy looks like Jason does when he gets hit in the head with a brick. 

Magnus, who is apparently an opportunist just like his cousin steps in. “So, if you’re Greek and you’re here, you and I definitely have a meeting to go to tomorrow.”

“Will Percy be there?” I ask because really that’s all I want. To talk to Percy and find out what is going on.

“Yes.” Magnus confirms.

“Then I’m in.” That really wasn’t so hard, was it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for disappearing folks. Life got crazy as all get out. But hey I'm back with an update and hopefully can maintain the monthly schedule for a while. Hope you enjoy!


	11. Nico

# Nico

## Therapy Hour Is for Not Talking, Right?

** _ Something I Need _ [ by One Republic ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_xvWdY6Gr4)**

I’m finally getting around to talking to Chiron via Iris Message in the guest bedroom at the Blofis’ apartment when they door opens. Startled, I look over my shoulder. It’s probably a certain mini Blofis who thinks all thing are her business. I’ll have to put her back in bed before I talk to Chiron.

It’s not Jacklynn. Percy comes in carrying a grocery sack. A quick glance tells me it’s full of soda and snacks. I’m glad he’s eating, hell can really ruin your appetite. 

The Iris Message connects and Chiron says, “Nico, what can I do for you tonight?” Then he looks towards the door. “Oh, I see.”

I try to tramp down the wave of disappointment. I thought we’d gotten past Chiron assuming the worst about me just because of my parentage. It almost hurts more than Jason making that assumption, at least he’d been under a lot of stress.

“I didn’t do it.” I say trying not to sound let down or defensive.

Chiron shakes his head smiling apologetically. “I am aware, Nico. You are far past such actions. Something you should be very proud of, I am. The gods informed me of Percy’s current situation in case he came to me for help.”

The praise feels good and washes away the slap in the face Jason’s assumption was. At least Chiron believes in me. 

“Do you have any advice?” Percy asks while he sits the bag down on the dresser and pulls out some soda. He looks careworn and tired. I can definitely sympathize, it seems like Percy never gets a break. Not for long at least. 

Chiron sighs. “I am afraid this situation is entirely unprecedented, Percy.”

“So, nothing?” Percy says like maybe asking again will cause Chiron to come up with an answer. He hands me a soda as he comes to stand next to me. 

It’s already cold, which is weird since it probably just came from the shelf. Percy winks and I realize he probably cooled it somehow. 

“Nothing that you could not come up with on your own.” Chiron confirms. “I understand you are arranging a meeting with all the pantheons?”

“Tomorrow.” I confirm while Percy nods in agreement. He may be the one who wants the meeting but I’m the one with a group chat with major players from each pantheon on my phone. 

“Do you have a venue?” Chiron asks, “It is better if you choose somewhere neutral, perhaps a museum.” 

“The Met is pretty cool.” I muse out loud. “Lots of people minding their own business, so they shouldn’t care that we’re there.”

“Do you know how many museum’s I’ve wrecked?” Percy says sounding a little nervous.

“Then it will be a good opportunity for you to practice restraint.” Chiron says fondly. 

Before we can devolve into pointless debate I send out a text to Sam, Walt and Hazel telling them to meet at the Met. I also send one to Jason saying the same thing. He’ll be there for sure.

“We’ll meet at the Met tomorrow afternoon.” I report back as soon as everyone confirms. “Everyone says they’ll bring whoever is in charge of their group.”

“I will make sure my contacts at the Met know you are to be left alone.” Chiron says ambiguously just as there is a loud crash from somewhere on Chiron’s end. Probably campers finding trouble, again. “I should check on that. Percy I know this is overwhelming but I trust in your ability to handle the problem.”

The message cuts out and Percy sighs. I take the opportunity to sip my soda and really look at Percy. We’ve certainly had our differences, but Jackson is still my friend. My only regret is that I didn’t appreciate that until after he’d died. I’d been to caught up in my own life and it wasn’t till he’d been gone that I’d understood he’d had the same issue. That, that’s sort of a part of being a person. 

So, I look at my friend and have to refrain from sighing myself. Percy looks tired, he’s skinny and wan. That ready smile he once had that always drew me to him is now a shadow of itself. Lost in a wave of seen too much and too little joy. 

“So.” Percy says awkwardly breaking the silence. I mean I was staring at him. “I brought snacks.” 

“Cool.” I say but it’s hard to tear myself from my careful analysis of my not so dead friend. The off tone in his voice. The having to try to be nice and gregarious. 

The truth is that I’d known Percy forever but now I don’t quite know what to make of him. Percy had changed in the time he’d been gone, I’d changed, and I couldn’t quite figure out how we were supposed to fit together now. 

Percy raises an eyebrow at me, another change. I didn’t know he could even do that. “Like what you see?” 

That get’s a chuckle out of me but before the kelp headed demigod can get any ideas I shut him down. “No. You’re still not my type.” I say solemnly.

“But I’m everybody’s type.” Percy complains, looking like he’s actually having fun for the first time in a long time. I’d intended to talk with him tonight, get him to vent his feelings, like he used to try to do with me. But, maybe this is what he needed more.

“Not mine.” I disagree taking a seat on the floor. I mean he is and always will be hot, but that’s all. Seriously. I lean against the dresser and stare at the bag full of junk food.

Percy sees it and grins mischievously grabbing the entire bag. “Then I won’t share my snacks!”

He sinks to the floor on the opposite end of the room grinning victoriously. He looks a little demented because his face is half hidden in shadow. Neither of us had bothered to turn on the lights on and it was getting dark out. 

Being in shadow like that made the snacks easily accessible to me. I’d just need to reach through the shadows, it wouldn’t even require full traveling. 

I’m about to reply that I can get my own snacks anyways when there’s a knock on the door. A moment later Mrs. Blofis comes in. The room is flooded with light when she flips on the switch and I have to blink away the brightness. “Everything okay in here?”

“We’re fine mom.” Percy says blushing.

“Oh. I thought I hear yelling.” She explains. “I’m glad I didn’t.”

Sally looks sad when she adds, “If you have a moment Percy, I’d like to speak with you about something important.”

“Unless it makes Nico uncomfortable I’m all ears.” Percy says with a shrug. 

I find myself torn. If Percy’s mom wants to talk to him private I should let them, however if Percy needs me here I can’t abandon him. Guy’s been alone to face though things too much as it is.

So, I stay. 

“I just wanted to talk to you about Annabeth, Sweetie.” Sally says gently coming to sit on the bed Percy is leaning against. 

I feel terrible. No one had told Percy that Annabeth is getting married, some friends we were.

“I know.” Percy says, breaking the silence. “Her cousin told me and arranged for her and I to talk. I know. I’m happy for her.”

Sally blinks in confusion at the rushed story. I’m not sure how this mysterious cousin plays into the big picture but I’m glad somebody handled that situation. I’m also relieved that it didn’t have to be me. 

From the floor Percy tries to give his mom and I a blinding smile but neither of us are buying it.

“Sweetheart.” Sally says gently, but doesn’t say anything else. 

“Really. It’s okay.” Percy says like he’s trying to convince himself. It’s clear he won’t talk about it with his mother. 

Sally bites her lip but doesn’t push any further. She just runs her hand through Percy’s shaggy ear length hair and says, “Okay Percy. How about some blue chocolate chip cookies, huh?”

This time Percy’s smile is real. “That sounds fantastic Mom!”

Sally runs her hands through her son’s hair one last time before getting back up and heading out of the room

Once she’s gone I level Percy with my blandest look. The one that says I’m not impressed but I’m willing to listen to why he’s being an idiot. 

Of course, he studiously ignores me.

“You can be upset about it.” I tell him. “It’s not every day you come back from a major fight in hell to find your girlfriend five years older than you and engaged.”

Percy just shrugs and goes digging in the sack for more snacks. I can tell he’s annoyed with me for pushing but he still throws me a Zebra Cake.

I should let it go. He clearly wants me to let it go, but I also know that if Percy doesn’t talk about some of what’s going on he’s going to blow, in a major earthquake or hurricane of self loathing kind of way. 

“Will and I broke up a year ago.” I say instead of pushing harder on the exact topic. “I saw it coming but it still hurt.”

“Again?” Percy asks. 

I feel myself bristle at the words. They’re true but it doesn’t take the sting from Percy’s not so thoughtless words. Percy doesn’t think before he speaks but his instincts are normally spot on for how to piss somebody off. Especially if he doesn’t like the way the conversation is going. 

“For the final time.” I say instead. My tone is flat and I can see in the sag of Percy’s shoulders that he’s already regretting saying something to hurt me.

“I’m sorry.” Percy says and then offers. “It sucks.” 

“It does.” I agree and think that maybe that’s going to be the end of it. 

Then Percy tries to deflect again. “It’s fine though.”

I try not to sigh. When we were younger I’d been so busy martyring myself that I hadn’t been able to realize Percy did the same shit. I wished he could see it wasn’t healthy. 

Instead of really pushing him into a heart to heart I say, “No, Percy. It’s not, because you don’t actually have the emotional range of a teaspoon.” I nudge his thigh with my foot for added emphasis.

He glares at my foot for a solid moment before saying, “What do you want me to say, Nico. Everything sucks right now but I can’t stop, there’s too much that has to be done. I have to figure out how Valhalla even works, convince the Egyptians to trust me. I don’t have time to be upset.”

That was enough for me. I nod and nudge his foot with my own. “Want to play Lego Marvel Superheroes or something?”

Percy nods grateful for the subject change. We gather up the snacks and head out into the living room. Before long we’re smashing bricks and having a ridiculously fun time for competent adults playing a kids game. 

We don’t talk about anything serious anymore but as we hang out I can see the tension finally leave Percy’s shoulders at least a little bit. 

Eventually we get bored and head into the kitchen to find a pile of cookies waiting for us on a plate. There’s a couple of mythomagic cards sitting innocently by the plate. I’d left them here the last time Frank had been in New York and needed a place to lay low. 

Of course they’re the first thing Percy sees. The grin I find myself facing makes me want to grab my cards and go spend the night in Hades cabin. There’s nothing wrong with Percy smiling per se, it’s just the exact smile that means so much trouble for me. So much trouble, and not only from teasing.

“So you do still play Mythomagic.” Percy says like the thought makes him happy.

“It’s Frank’s fault.” I grumble grabbing my cards and shoving them in my pocket. Stupid game and stupid descendants of sea gods.

Then Percy does something he wouldn’t have done four years ago. He let’s it go. 

“Here have a cookie.” He says handing me the plate of cookies. What was with Percy constantly trying to feed me? Did he always do that? “Let’s watch a movie.”

I can definitely get behind that, especially since I know of a movie that will make Percy lose his mind. “Has anyone told you about Finding Dory yet?” 

“Wha-?” Percy asks, the cookie he’d been biting into hangs in his mouth as his eyes widen in wonder. 

This was going to be good.

Percy pulls the cookie out of his mouth and says, “Let’s watch it! Can we watch it?” With more excitement than I’ve seen since he came back. I’m relieved that something was able to put it there, even if it’s just his favorite movie franchise.

I nod and take my plate of cookies back to the living room. I know it’s somewhere in Jacklynn’s enormous stack of movies. 

“So, what’s the movie about?” Percy whispers while following me into the room and stuffing another cookie into his mouth. 

We have to be quiet now because the rest of Percy’s family is asleep. Really, Percy and I should be sleeping too, what with tomorrow being the war meeting for a mega apocalypse and what not. Still, this is what I want to do and Percy seems to agree. 

“Dory.” I say grinning over my shoulder. I know the answer will aggravate Percy.

The strangled groan I get as my reward is like victory. 

“I’d never have guessed.” Is all Percy says though. 

Finally I locate the movie under a pile of barbie movies. “Watch it and find out.” I reply waving the movie in front to Percy’s face.

In short order we pop the movie into the DVD player and curl up on opposite ends of the couch. I watch Percy watch the movie for the first half. His amazement at the story making me feel warm just like when I showed it to his little sister for the first time.

Eventually my eyelids get heavy and I decide to close them, just for a minute. I want to know what Percy thinks of the movie when it’s over after all. He’s a huge fan of Finding Nemo, I want to know if he thinks Finding Dory held up.

When I wake up the T.V. has turned itself off. Someone, probably Ms. Blofis, has draped a large fuzzy blanket over us. It’s soft and warm and if I bring it up to my face to nuzzle no one is awake to see. When I shift I accidentally nudge Percy’s shin with my foot, discovering that our legs somehow got slightly tangled in our sleep. He snuffles in protest but doesn’t wake. 

I can see Percy’s head lolling against the arm of the couch in the yellow street lamp light seeping in through the window. He’s drooling of course, completely dead to the world. I bite my lip so I don’t chuckle at the horrible pun.

I briefly consider going to the guest bed and leaving Percy the whole couch but sleep calls to me before I can find any will to move. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm in the process of reviving my blog. [COME YELL AT ME ON TUMBLR!](https://awanderingmuse-fandom.tumblr.com/)

**Author's Note:**

> For now I'm saying this fic will update once a month around the 15th.  
> Also a lot of chapter will have some rather dumb references in them. It wasn't my fault, Percy just kept making them and it became a thing.


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